Forgo
by KillerKitty3140
Summary: SEQUEL OF ‘TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME’ Draco and Hermione are over. They have been since last year. Hermione still pines openly after him. Where does Harry come into this?
1. Entree

**Forgone**

Draco and Hermione are over. It has been since last year. Hermione stills pines openly after him. Where does Harry come into this? SEQUEL OF 'TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME'

**Thanks for all your support and encouragement!!! You've all convinced me to write a sequel. I just hope I don't disappoint! Don't forget to tell me what you think!**

---

_Scared of your own feelings, Malfoy?_

_You can't run forever!_

_Why are you hiding?_

_Just because daddy isn't here to protect you!_

_You're pathetic._

_Faceless, emotionless, _Useless.

The voices that screamed and whispered at him never went away. How is it that the proud and vain Slytherin could care so much about a virtuous Gryffindor?

Draco turned his head away from the newspaper. It was broad daylight and the voices still haunted him. In attempt of believing the illusion he set up for everybody, he spat at the Witch's Weekly; the picture of Potter and Granger. He still didn't cancel the subscription for his mother.

_Harry and Hermione._

"Perfect pair." Draco muttered darkly, repeating the article heading. He shook his head vigorously; he had begun speaking to himself rather often nowadays; a very disturbing and unusual fact.

After the declaration of his mother's delicate state she'd fallen into, Draco was sure to put an end to anything that might have showed similar signs to her condition. After his father's captivity.

The Malfoy name was doing badly. Corrupted. Cruel. Vicious. Not fit.

Not the usual respected and traditional pure blood line that it once was.

Though Draco was shown anything but disrepute.

All age groups took to his liking. After his 'fling' with a Muggle Born, it opened up ideas to rather unlikely people around his age group. He reached the grand second of the Witch's Weekly poll, losing only to the Boy Hero of the wizarding world. It seemed Draco's dark aurora only captured more people. Not that they would dare approach him.

The more elder people still hung onto the ideals of tradition and his pure blood sang out to them. Wherever Draco went his trademark features were instantly recognised.

Not that he wanted it that way.

This summer was to be a relaxing summer. The one before his final year at Hogwarts.

It had been anything but relaxing.

---

Harry remembered the way they were close, the way the despicable git would hold her hand. The way she would smile apologetically whenever she caught Harry's gaze; whenever Draco's eyes hardened at Harry's smile smile, knowing it fake.

Every time Harry saw them together.

It was like a dagger plunged into his stomach; whenever and if ever he tried to move away and deny it, the dagger would move higher and higher to the ultimate destination. His heart. It was getting torn, sliced, stabbed and hacked.

Now it was worse. Now she didn't have Draco. Now he didn't have Draco. Now the knife changed into a sword.

Harry remembered before Draco came into their lives. A time where Harry didn't have him.

_A time when he didn't need him._

But Harry always had her. Always. Even as friends in the very beginning, it was enough comfort.

Even friends they remained now. But now, as she absently stares at something only her eyes reveal, she is but a ghost. But a skeleton and shell; only a painful reminder of what used to be there.

Harry stared at her rocking herself, as if the cradling could ease the pain. They were only seventeen, but had undergone more traumas a person should take. Of all the dreadfulness that had passed them before, this was possibly the worst. Only Hermione, the brain of their Dream Team, was... sick. It wasn't anything physical. It was in the mind.

She tried to cover it, tried to convince us we were worrying about nothing. When she thought we weren't looking she withdrawed back to herself. She went somewhere unreachable. Harry went to sit beside her and offered her a smile that used to comfort her whenever and wherever. A smile that never failed.

Until now.

Harry closed his eyes to get rid of the horrible sight. Images of Hermione's reaction flashed across his eyes.

**.:: Flashback ::.**

"WHAT?" Hermione exploded. Her calm reserve melted away.

"Draco's gone home." Harry repeated.

"AND YOU JUST LET HIM?" Harry didn't like this new side of Hermione.

"He... admitted a few things..." Harry shifted uncomfortably.

He just had to tell her in front of the other Gryffindors in their common room.

"What does he think he's doing?" Hermione asked no one in particular.

"He gone-" Harry began to repeat,

"I KNOW... Draco's gone home." Hermione snapped through gritted teeth. "I need to talk to him."

"You can't." Harry informed her weakly.

"I bloody well can!" Hermione argued defiantly, "I'll march right back to Malfoy Manor and demand to see him."

"It's unchartable. Like Hogwarts." Harry hated to admit the truth. He gently guided Hermione's hands down. The stress was straining her and she wasn't thinking properly.

"I'll find a way..." Hermione assured. "Why did he go?"

"Family business." Harry assured. He couldn't break it to her.

**.:: End of Flashback ::.**

And he still hadn't told her the proper reason. The reason the conceited and arrogant git admitted to him before its departure.

Harry opened his eyes and looked at Hermione. She felt his gaze on her and turned to meet it. Harry offered his arms to her, and she collapsed in them. It was a mutual comforting thing. They were both hurt. They were both victims. They both lost.

Harry heard a gentle click in the distance, the sound of a camera. He raised his head a fraction too late, only to see the back of the dark haired intruder who had 'proof' of any rumours concerning The Boy Who Lived.

Harry frowned,

"Let's go into Diagon Alley tomorrow. We'll need to get our books and everything... we'll meet up with Ron and Ginny." Harry suggested. Hermione was always worse on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Harry didn't understand why, so it was probably best to leave the shopping until Friday.

---

As the carriage came to a stop, he made his way to The Three Broomsticks to further study his list, to plan which shops he would stop by; the quickest possible route.

Leaving, he loathed the way people stared at him; the way they segregated him out from the rest. Apart from the distinct eyes and hair; he knew he had an ambience that people picked up on.

He tilted his head up, further suggesting his attitude towards whoever gazed upon him and embarrassingly almost tripped over the poor girl stumbling in his path. She was dressed in rags, or what Draco believed was rags, the stench of the poor chit was unbearable. What's worse was that Draco felt sorry for it.

Her brown hair, the bushy unkemptness, and delicate hands fervently compelling people to give to her...

The way the girl, not passing the age of 8, looked him straight in the eye. Too ignorant to fear the Malfoy name; too young. Too innocent. The way she offered a genuine smile, even before he decided to bestow her anything.

When he kicked over her wooden bowl, he bent down in a show of kindness as if helping her pick up her money. The confused expression and tears welled in her eyes, knowing that it had been anything but an accident. Quickly going through his pocket, Draco digs out his change and puts it in the bowl.

_No one will know better._

Draco smiled back at the girl, standing up once again. The sudden commotion he had caused only drew adverted gazes, not bothering with a mere peasant girl and her associates. The girl smiled back, biting her lip and withdrawing her tears, she watched as the kind man walked away the confused glint no longer shining in her eyes. The 500 galleons now in her keeping.

---

Harry watched as Draco kicked the bowl, making sure Hermione and Ron were distracted elsewhere. His face had burned, knowing it wasn't an accident. Pity filled him for the poor girl, only to be replaced by guilt that he couldn't go over there and help her without rousing suspicions from others; namely Hermione. And Ron.

Obsurus Books was rather full, with no more than a week until Hogwarts was due to begin, and Harry had difficulty finding his friends.

"Werr 'ere 'ou 'ary?" Ron asked as he stuffed his mouth with the liquorice wands Harry had purchased for them to share.

"Uh... about..." Harry answered vaguely, feeling uncertain about the whereabouts of Hermione. "Hermione!"

"Harry!" Hermione greeted, "We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Yeah..." He stared her away from the direction he saw Malfoy go in. Hermione's eyes had a familiar glint in them and were looking very cheery.

"I was just talking to Mrs Paprill and she said she saw a striking young fellow walk pass her." She gestured in the way she came.

Harry gulped, hoping that her happiness was not due to Malfoy.

"Don't look so modest!" Hermione joked, fluffing his hair.

Harry realised she was talking about him.

---

Next stop: Hogwarts! What will happen when they meet? I have a big surprise for you all when we arrive!!!

Mwauhahahahaa....

What do you think of the first chappie? (Sort of a prologue for this fic, and an epilogue for the other)

If some things seem strange, unrealistic... or something else and you haven't read Two Can Play That Game. I strongly suggest you read it.


	2. The Sorting!

Left to my own devices? _Pft!!!!_

I haven't been horrible in not updated for so long because I HAVE A COLD!!! Feel grateful I update at all!!! (Currently very cranky and must sleep very soon)

_Pft!!!_

(Shows annoyance)

AND ANOTHER THING!!! I totally left out them being prefects in the books. Damn. I didn't mean to. Just slipped my mind. No one reminded me either, lol. Not pushing the blame or anything. But you'll have to forgive me.

People have been screaming for Hermione and Draco to get together and live happily ever after. Me too. I just couldn't make it work out in the last fic so I'm going to try again with this fic. I have a basic idea of what's going to happen, I'll just see where it gets me.

---

Draco sat on the couch, a plain and economical couch and polished his badge with pride, ignoring the incessant bumps from the rails. Muttering something about magic should be able to fix something, he was too absorbed to see he had a visitor.

It wasn't as if Draco liked to be alone, nor was it that Draco wasn't sociable. He was anything but. He just wanted his solitude, some peace and quiet; only, he had wanted a lot of it lately.

The Slytherins understood and obeyed.

Finally noticing the figure looming over him, Draco sighed and assumed it was either Pansy or someone who had a tendency to disobey his wishes, and continued to polish his badge.

The stature loomed over him, as he was still seated, and did not seem pretentious, patently waited to be recognised. The figure watched as the Head Boy gleamed with pride at the pin in his clasp. It was as if he had nothing else to be proud of anymore.

Quite surprising, that he got Head Boy, with leaving the school before it actually ended.

Sighing loudly, Draco shifted his gaze to meet his intruder.

The red head girl stared out the window for a brief moment, looking at what he was looking at, before realising he finally acknowledged her presence.

_Potter's girl, Granger's friend, Weasel's sister._

Gryffindor.

"What do you want?" He snarled,

"Malfoy." Ginny greeted, gritting her teeth to make sure she didn't rip the conceited bastard's head off.

"Weasley." Malfoy greeted back dryly, "What are you doing here? Why don't you go terrorise your own housemates?"

"Because… wait. I mean, I'm here because…" she trailed off. Why was she here? She wanted to fix things. Hermione was broken, Harry couldn't fix her and is beating himself up over it, and Ron won't believe her when she tried convincing him. "You need to… Hermione…"

"Weasley, I knew you Gryffindors were dense but; couldn't you just pull together and speak in proper sentences?" Draco pleaded sarcastically,

"Hermione wants to meet you. When she does… just, don't hurt her." Ginny managed, not understanding why is was so hard.

_Clap,_

_Clap,_

_Clap._

Draco clapped his hands slowly, congratulating her, "Well done." he snarled, "All of a sudden the dim, _dim_ little flame wants to play heroine?"

Ginny stared at him blankly, not quite getting what he was saying, but was sure it was something insulting and felt like she must disagree.

"No." Ginny replied through gritted teeth, the same slimy git she hated was resurfacing from the not-so-bad-as-to-not-make-me-puke prat Ginny was just beginning to see last year, to Hermione's insistence. "Look, I don't really know what your game was… is, or what you were meaning by playing Heroine. But, just, go back to being… Draco."

Ginny turned sharply and left him hanging, before he could get the last word. Before Harry, Ron or Hermione went to search for her.

---

_What will suit you,_

_Where do you belong?_

_Only I know;_

_Just listen to my song!_

_Are you the brightest of stars? _

_Bound to honour, bred to be bold?_

_Fiercely Loyal, trust worthiest?_

_Sly and cunning, bought and sold?_

_Most inquisitive of minds,_

_A gifted Ravenclaw!_

_Where the eager will learn _

_Where only the brightest will soar._

_Courage and strength;_

_The standard Gryffindor traits,_

_Most humble and righteous,_

_With twisting fates._

_Faithful and fair,_

_An honest Hufflepuff! _

_Always enduring,_

_Where contribution is enough._

_Ambition will endeavour,_

_In any Slytherin,_

_Though proud and arrogant_

_Will do anything to win._

_I will choose wisely;_

_Where your home will be,_

_In your next seven years,_

_Who will be your family…_

Hermione kept annoyingly gazing over a the Slytherin table, where the Blonde Haloed boy congratulated the strangely numerous new coming Slytherins; and entertained those around him. Not once, the Gryffindors noticed, did he spare a glance towards their table._  
_

---

Hah! I wasn't too lazy to write a song!! Yay. Too tired to write more. Still feeling like crap so I will retire and… die.

Tell me what you think, if only the for the cool sorting song! I have my surprise for you still, so you have to be nice and review!


	3. I'm EVIL

I've gained a loyal reviewer!! Yay! GO YOU!!!

And… yes, since you have reviewed, YES you are loved forever!

recommended my fic? Wow. You're definitely in my good books, lol! Um… it would be pointless to send you naked Dracos, wouldn't it? But you're probably not into him….

Feeling better now, thanks for your… support? Or at least your willingness to get a new chapter, one or the other…

Interesting ideas… wow. I'll have to think real hard in order to put them into place… but look out for them!

---

"Wonder what it is…" Blaise remarked, placing himself gracefully down awaiting a potions lesson, avidly ignoring all Gryffindors. Finally things were back to normal.

"What?" Draco mimicked being flabbergasted, trying to hide the dark all-knowing shadow that clouded his face,

"You were too busy sugar coating the first years," Pansy murmured,

"I am Head Boy," He retorted with pride,

"And you seem to actually act like it; might be a new break through for you, Draco." Anna bit back.

"You hurt me, truly, I'm only back a day and my pride is already cut down." Draco eyes fell to the floor, but only to retain the look of innocence for a while before he gazed mischievous at his housemates.

"You have too much of it, we're doing you good." Blaise chided,

"Does anyone actually believe that 'it's for your own good' crap?" Draco replied, scandalised,

"Like we're saying…" Malcolm began again,

"Dumbledore has a surprise for us." Notice how Blaise left out 'professor',

"He was going to announce it after the Sorting ceremony… only whatever it is hasn't arrived." Pansy looked sad,

"Hope it's not something that blasted gamekeeper of an oaf isn't going to pet, think if it's another monster just waiting to murder me!" Draco remarked,

"Yes, we all remember in third year," Pansy sighed, laughing along, "good times."

"If you mean almost getting murdered by a fiend the monster shagging giant set loose on me!" Draco defended himself indignantly, gaining further guffawing.

"Wouldn't want to scar the poor baby," Pansy cooed, earning a horrified look from Draco,

"God!" Draco froze; too late.

"God?" Anna questioned lightly under her breath,

"Yes." Draco's voice hardened and Harry's ears pricked up.

"What's that?" Pansy put on her ditsy pretence, Slytherins knew that this 'God' slang was somehow connected towards some Muggle – ugh – belief, and chose to know nothing about it.

Hermione entered the room, with all the restraint in her body; she sat herself calmly beside Harry.

Draco, although clearly not looking at the door or anywhere near the Gryffindors – which was unusual in itself for Draco _always _looked over to the Gryffindors; never wanting to miss a chance to spite them – somehow sensed her entrance into the dungeon classroom.

The light mood between the Slytherins suddenly took a sharp turn and their blitheness turned sullen.

"I believe it's a mockery of some kind towards Muggle worshiping. Using their deity as slang, you know, supposed to be awfully rude. Quite like spitting in there faces." Draco explained to Pansy dryly.

"Big surprises on why Draco practises using it then," Blaise remarked; and once again the cheer was returned, though a sense of false pretence also followed, as none of the Slytherins truly believed it, but swallowed the half lie with the rest.

Hermione heard the laughter, and it cut her sharply. He should've been there with her, making her laugh. Snape was still not here and Hermione had to keep standing the mindless chatter going around her. She laughed with the Gryffindor's jokes and nodded when someone spoke to her, not really listening to what they're saying.

Getting up all of a sudden, as Ron was in the middle of explaining something to her about Quidditch; Dean felt it too important to miss and relieved her of her role as listener.

"Draco." Hermione couldn't contain herself, and earned dagger-like stares from the majority of Slytherins,

"Malfoy to you, Granger." He couldn't quite bring himself to call her Mudblood to her face yet. A look of hurt and confusion solidified on her face, as if Draco had hit her with a large plank and the sting was plastered there.

"Oh, I see how it is." Hermione murmured, the bookworm shyness taking over the Gryffindor bravery. As Draco watched the Mudblood shuffled her feet, as she stared at them with a red look on her face; he tried to suppress the gouging pang he felt deep, deep inside; only to realise just how infatuated he was with the Gryffindor.

Hermione walked slowly back to her seat, not sure how to react, not sure what had just happened to the perfect reunion she envisioned in her head so many times when she awaited his return. Not sure whether to trust her judgement that constantly failed her that screamed for her to confront him. Draco stared after her, letting her go, a smirk plastered on his face for the benefit of his housemates, only to realise just how bad things really were. How badly he cared for her.

"Couldn't we – Couldn't we just… start again? Forget the past?" Hermione spun around, instinct winning over reason.

"Go away Mudblood." Draco heard someone growl, but he never took his eyes off Hermione, once having a valid reason to finally look at her; he wasn't going to pass it off. Hermione wasn't stung; she knew the candy smiles given to her in the golden ages when she was with Draco were false, of all the Slytherins – Hermione believed – only Draco was genuine.

Hermione offered a pleading smile.

"Or at least forget the bad bits? I guess I'll always remember…" Hermione reminisced about Malfoy Manor, how he saved them all. He'd probably be her white knight from then on.

"Then let you and I forget we ever had anything to do with each other." Draco suggested lightly,

"No!" Hermione objected firmly, "Maybe we could... just… keep going? I know it's hard and all, but we could at least try! We can work this out. I'm willing to try if you are!" Too late to bit her latter comment back, Hermione realised her mistake.

"I'm not." Draco put bluntly, Pansy beaming at his side, "So, just bugger off."

"Why are you doing this?" Hermione whispered.

Draco closed his eyes.

"Just bugger off."

"Bu-" Hermione began,

"You heard him!" Anna defended, "Bugger off."

"If only I knew what was wrong, if only this was different. If only I could change things; if only we could forget." Hermione murmured softly before retreating,

"We judge ourselves with the actions of others. We are instructed by past events, everyday, so we might know how to behave." Draco replied, mystifying,

"We judge ourselves with the virtues of others. We are instructed by past deeds, everyday, so we might know how to behave." Hermione corrected his quote.

"Either way, we can't just start again. We can never forget the past." Draco murmured under his breath, everyone in the room strained to hear him. He assumed Potter told Hermione of his 'plan', he assumed Hermione as talking about the same thing he was.

"If only-"

"Yes, Granger; 'If only', but it isn't." He cut her off sharply, "That's the difference between you and I; you're a dreamer relying on luck to bend the rules of life; I'm a realist who goes by the system of reality."

"Opposites attract." Hermione replied grimly, quoting,

A flicker of recognition flashed across his eyes as they promptly opened, before clouding up and freezing over.

"Silence!" Snape's first words as he entered his classroom. "Get out your books."

"Wake up, Granger." Draco snarled.

"Now… turn to page; what are you staring at Longbottom?" Snape barked,

"N-Nothing, s-sir." Neville quivered,

"Good, now turn to page 89 in you advanced textbooks." Snape ordered, wondering what was horribly wrong today.

"Professor!" Blaise called out

"Bollocks." Snape remembered and left the room with thundering footsteps.

"Prat."

The booming of his shoes came back only seconds after they left, as he re-entered the room eyeing Blaise suspiciously, but let it slide – there was no way he was going to deduct points of any Slytherin, and he had more an important task at hand,

"Professor." Blaise called out weakly this time, scrutinised under his gaze,

"Heads, take over for a moment. I expect an orderly class when I return; if not you all will be back here at 7." Snape threaten, before rushing off once again, completely ignoring Blaise.

"Prat."

Draco shot up in his seat.

"I'm head boy!" He announced to the class, earning resounding groans from all the Gryffindors.

"And I'm Head Girl." Hermione countered dryly, earning dark mutters from all the Slytherins.

"Turn to page 98." Draco ordered Ron, who eyed him evilly. The class busily flicked through their page chuckling, what was the Slytherin up to now?

"Wasn't it 89?" Ron objected. Several heads nodded, Harry's more vigorous than others.

"I SAID 98, YOU SOD! 10 points off Gryffindor!" Draco declared,

"I'm a prefect!" Ron fumed, "You're not aloud to do that!"

"I am too," Draco poked out his tongue, the class laughed at the authority of the school.

"Draco." Hermione reminded him sternly.

"Malfoy to you." Draco reminded her, "Anyway. 20 points of Gryffindor!" Draco pointed at Dean.

"What? What did I do?" the innocent – when where Gryffindors not innocent, hm? – Gryffindor pleaded,

"You glared at me!" Draco reasoned,

"You can't do that!" Dean defied, striding to where Ron was,

"I can too! Another 20 off for talking back!" Draco laughed with the Slytherins, "I saw that, Potter. 50 points from you!"

"MALFOY!" Hermione shouted, losing her cool. The whole class stopped.

Silence.

No more laughter.

"Return those points to Gryffindor immediately." Hermione ignored the fact that she was madly in love with this man and told him off like a red-handed two year old.

Draco crossed his arms, pouted and turned his head away.

"Severus!" McGonagall burst through the doors.

She stopped, panting unusually, suggesting she had a quite work-out from sprinting into the classroom. Why was this strict professor huffing? McGonagall froze, realising that Snape wasn't in the room, realising the need for secrecy only just then.

"Please follow me outside, Hermione."

---

I'm just going to keep teasing you with my surprise ( Dangles in front of your nose ) … sort of ransoming you to review!!!


	4. Eric van der Strandsen

Flattery will get you everywhere, I suppose. I thought I'd mention it to thank you all VERY nice reviewers… had so many. Very good though, I was going to wait until prize giving and write a chapter and be besotted and blissful or cranky and pissed, but I got such a nice review that I changed my mind.

Oh, and just to tell everyone, I'm going away on the 15th. Yes, of this month! And I don't think I can be bothered lugging my laptop with me… that's means I can't update much. Unless I go on in the airport and waste all my money. Which won't happen because I don't have any. But it isn't until a few more days, and I'm sure you'll live!

How old am I? Promise not to stop reading if you know? I'm rather young, I don't know if it'll put you off or not. So I won't tell you. Mwahahaha!!!

---

"Hermione," McGonagall began tightly, as if fighting to keep herself under control, "Where is Professor Snape?"

"Ran off to do something." Draco chimed in, announcing himself.

"Malfoy." She sighed a resigning sigh. "I – I… Please keep the class under control."

With this command, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts stalked off hurriedly to find the Professor; controlling herself to be composed in front of her pupils.

"Well…" Draco began, stepping towards the entrance to avoid a confrontation with Hermione. "That was strange."

"Yes." Hermione agreed, falling in step with him back into the classroom.

As the entered the classroom, falling in line with each other, the class stopped mid word.

"Well…" Draco began again. "This is… awkward."

"Yes." Hermione grimaced, agreeing.

Harry arched his eyebrow questioningly, a habit he mastered off Malfoy, as Ron practised his death glare on Draco.

"Class." Draco returned to his haughty stuck-up air, "Get to work."

---

"Welcome back!" Professor Lupin greeted the class, Gryffindor and Slytherin alike.

His eyes seemed to travel slightly, shifting more often than not, implying something was playing on his mind. Possibly something important, or better, something scandalous!

After finishing lunch and piling into the classroom, after Draco finished shotting invisible darts at the werewolf, once again declaring his loathing towards the professor. Once they all had a nice big pile of juicy gossip to share and spread.

"But it's so soon!" Anna continued her discussion from before, deciding it best to ignore the hospitable professor, whom Draco doesn't like, to avoid further conflict.

"Hit 'em while they're weak?" Pansy suggested.

"But you'd think _they'd _be weak at a moment like this. Not us." Anna disagreed,

"Are you saying you aren't one of them? Are you saying that you are choosing to collect yourself with a Mudblood?" Blaise scrutinised,

"No." Anna muttered, "I mean 'we' as in Hogwarts. Sadly this place is infected with them. I mean them as in the ones abducting us."

"Do you truly believe they would dare hurt someone of noble blood?" Malcolm teased, not really welcoming the rumour.

"You heard the fifth years… a Ravenclaw's missing. A Mudblood, _on the first day back."_ Pansy interjected.

Draco strutted over, fully please with himself for stealing the Professors bane.

"Heard any other news? Who knows, this could all be fake!" Draco muttered, somehow knowing it was true. The past still haunted him.

"Well, a Ravenclaw leaks out that one of her mates is missing. Doesn't know where or precisely when. Everybody knows, against the teachers' will." Pansy repeated the facts,

"No evidence. Just a needy girls' word? No traces of a mysterious person?" Draco argued,

"Her friend is missing. Ravenclaws are… Ravenclaws. They wouldn't pull of a stunt like this, let alone be missing from _school. _You Know Who." Pansy voiced her opinion.

"I don't see people going hysteric and creating rumours about me when I go missing." Draco pouted.

"You don't go missing." Anna cooed,

"You can take care of yourself." Pansy comforted,

"You're too stinking rich with too many holiday homes and too bloody spoiled to be missing." Blaise offered in a Slytherin comforting way.

"And your business… head of the family…" Malcolm trailed off, not wanting to reveal much to the prying and gossiping ears.

"Class…" Draco was sure he heard the Professor growl. What was the school thinking, letting an _animal _teach them? _A monster, _none the less. Slipping standards; first it was Muggles – ugh – now… Werewolves…

"We'd…" Lupin began,

"What would we do if someone tried to kidnap us?" Neville asked innocently.

Bet a Slytherin wouldn't have gotten away with it.

But it hit just the right spot. Paling slightly, the werewolf stiffened.

"What is the school doing about this?" Blaise took his chance, pushing the boundaries.

"The staff members are having a meeting as we speak. The head of houses are called and are discussing what happened."

"What… exactly did happen?" Malcolm followed,

"Uh…" Lupin shifted uncomfortable under the Slytherins' interrogation, "We don't know yet."

Draco muttered something about standards slipping and Pansy flew into a frenzy of hysterics.

"Anyway… back to class." Lupin took advantage of the classes' near silence.

"But this is class…" Anna whined,

"We don't know for sure if this Annabelle has been abducted." Lupin chided,

– "_Annabelle" _– a few voices stirred, so there really was a girl.

"Annabelle?" Draco questioned,

"Back to class." Lupin enforced weakly,

"What do we do if we are abducted?" Draco repeated Neville's question with no hint of innocence, a voice thickly coated with venom.

---

"I have called this urgent assembly because, as many of you probably know by now, a young girl seemed to be object of many gossiping. It seems gossip spreads like wildfire around her and I intend to keep informing you of the facts and leave it to you to erase the lies."

_(- "Wildfire? What's wildfire?"_

"_Muggle expression?"_

"_Magical fire?"_

"_There's no such thing as Magical fire!"_

"_Special fire?"_

"_What kind?"_

"_Magical?"- )_

"A 5th year Ravenclaw, Annabelle Ross seems to have disappeared. She is from a Muggle family and is not familiar with the wizarding world. Though she may be in danger, Annabelle is a very bright and intelligent young lady and we are sure will turn up and excuse this upturn. However, until that happens, we will encourage anyone who knows anything about her disappearance to inform either me, just a simple owl will do – preferably signed – or to the Deputy Headmistress." Dumbledore rambled on,

Professor Flitwick, the head of the Ravenclaw house, stood up.

"I'm sure this is just a false alarm, but please, be on your guard. No need to be worried. Following this, on a more pleasant note; Dumbledore." He cued,

"Yes, definitely more on a pleasant note. I am pleased to introduce a student joining us from Durmstrang, Eric van der Strandsen."

Right on cue, the two large doors to the Great Hall surged open and Eric entered. All, including the green eyed Draco, stared at the Brown hair, brown eyes, and equally brown skin. The newcomer was bound to notice this, but continued on with no remorse, striding up the front with an air of confidence only one other seemed to radiate.

He was gorgeous.

"He will finish his 7th year here at Hogwarts. I am sure you all will make him feel welcome. Now, as the sorting hat only accepts and sorts juniors; Eric will be choosing his house… now." Dumbledore continued.

"House?" Eric questioned lightly, eying the girls swooning over him already.

"We have four houses," Dumbledore gestured, "Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

Eric followed Dumbledore's gestures until his gazed settled on the green table, on a particular malice filled Slytherin.

"It's important you choose wisely. Your house will be like your dwelling place and your housemates your closest friends." Flitwick warned. Eric only nodded to show he understood.

Many held their breaths, waiting for they mysterious Durmstrang student to choose their house.

"I suppose, Headmaster," he bowed respectfully – no hint of mockery that usually stained any of Draco's bows "you are wise. Surely you can choose for me?"

"No." Dumbledore shook his head sadly, "You must do this on your own. I will not decide what life you lead."

Draco wondered how this could possibly concern him. Why did he have to be couped up in this hall _now? _He wanted out.

"I cannot." Eric admitted, looking down as if in shame, as if confessing he was Voldemort's love child, "Can I have a day to decide?"

"Where will you sleep?" McGonagall questioned,

"The Ravenclaws have extra space that could easily be transferred to the seventh year boys' dormitory…" Flitwick pinched in, knowing it wasn't a question of space.

All eyes turned to Eric.

"Yes. I think I'll be a Ravenclaw then."

---

I leave you with many things to ponder over. Type your following thoughts in the review box.


	5. Hermione's suitors

No, no. I'm sure Flitwick is head of the Ravenclaw house. I was finicky and searched it up somewhere…

I just got given this grammar book that I will look over in my absence. It seems you aren't the only one who picks up on my illiterate problems.

Why do I portray Draco as the good guy? Cos I love him.

---

"_I hear he's Russian."_

"_No! No, no. He's Portuguese!"_

"_He's from Scandinavia!"_

"_He's French!"_

"_German."_

Draco stormed in the room, unable to calm his mood. Blaise rolled his eyes at Malcolm dramatically, who replied in similar fashion.

"Why are they talking about him?" Draco asked trough gritted teeth, already knowing the answer.

"He's new." Blaise replied bluntly, not really wanting to rile his friend up.

"And he's…" Malcolm was about to add, only to be silenced by Blaise jabbing him in the ribs.

Draco eyed him suspiciously. He didn't like this new Eric what's-his-name. Who did he think he is?

"With a name like that, coming from Durmstrag, why wasn't he put in Slytherin?" Pansy wondered over to the boys and provoked Draco.

"You're saying…" Draco took the bait,

"Durmstrang has a reputation to teach the Dark Arts, they do not permit Muggles. Just the right ingredient for a typical Slytherin, wouldn't you think?" She avoided looking into Malfoy's, eyes and asked Blaise instead.

"He knows nothing of our houses; he only chose Ravenclaw because that blasted Flitwick suggested it."

"We know nothing about him." Reminded Anna,

"That's where you'll go in?" Draco smiled menacingly,

"Of course, anything for you!" She swept into a low and theatrical curtsy.

---

"Hermeon, is it?" Eric raced to catch up with her.

"Uh… Her-my-own-nee. Eric, right?" Hermione corrected,

"Yeah." There was a hint of an accent, where only the observant would notice, "I noticed your going to the Dark Arts class, maybe you could direct me as well?"

"Sure." Hermione agreed, why had he sought her out? What did he want?

"Let me carry your books, it'll be the payment for your help." He offered.

"Sure." She agreed again.

He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to eagerly offer her books to him. Why wasn't she?

As if realising her mistake, she presented them out for him.

She looked different, in his opinion, from the other girls he seen here at his very short time at Hogwarts. She didn't seem to care, as if her mind was wondering elsewhere when no one was talking to her. Eric wanted to rescue her. He saw the enthusiasm in her face when it lit up and was she he could plaster it on there 24/7.

"Here." Hermione gestured.

"Thanks, Hermione." Eric complemented, deciding that she needed him. He was to be her knight in shining armour.

Hermione noticed him following her and took extra long and windy routes towards her usual seat in the far right corner.

"Hey." Ron greeted, as she sat down in the middle of him and Harry, interrupting their conversation about Quidditch routines.

Harry, noticing the person shadowing Hermione, offered Eric a glance.

"Eric… von die…" Harry trailed off, not really wanting to offend,

"Eric van der Strandsen." Eric corrected, taking it as a cue to sit with them.

"So, where are you from? What part of Europe?" Ron broke away from Harry and acknowledged the Ravenclaw.

"I come from Russia, but I also have a distinct lineage in Spain." Eric answered with a straight face.

"Wow. This guy's deep." Ron nodded,

"So, you're a Ravenclaw?" Harry asked, slightly flushed,

"Ravenclaw? Yes." Eric replied, "But you'll have to explain to me about these houses…"

"You're a Ravenclaw; supposedly smart and studious. We're Gryffindors; daring and brave. There are also Hufflepuffs; caring and kind. And then there's them; the Slytherins." Ron threw imaginary darts with his eyes towards the leader of Slytherins, enveloped in their own little bubble world. "They're… Slytherins! Vile, dangerous and not right. Death Eaters, the whole lot of them!"

Harry and Hermione shifted glances, knowing this wasn't true about them. Or at least one of them. Eric caught them switching expressions and how Hermione gazed intently on one particular Slytherin. Surely they weren't all that bad. He'd heard something vaguely about them from before.

"What's this about a missing girl?" Eric asked.

"We don't know." Harry replied mystified.

"It's probably some prank." Dean assured,

"The staff looks pretty flustered." Ron reminded,

"They're always flustered." Dean argued.

"Good Afternoon, class." Greeted Professor Lupin, "I see many of you have already met the new student. Eric von…die…" Lupin hid his head in his hands. Why did he not bother to learn the kid's name? He knew he was going to screw up!

"Eric van der Strandsen." He corrected.

"Yes, from Durmstrang, according to the principal. They teach the Dark Arts there, no?" Lupin had to ask.

"Yes." Eric agreed,

"Perhaps you could show us some things…" Lupin suggested,

"Perhaps."

---

"…what are you doing?" Ron asked Eric,

"I'm going to ask Hermione if she'd want some help." Eric replied.

Harry coughed suddenly.

Ron shook his head violently.

"No. Bad idea. No." Ron advised,

"But her arm, so crooked. The pronunciation, distasteful…" He trailed off, seeing the dark glances between the Gryffindors. "No?"

"Hermione is very… studious. She might not… appreciate you approaching her telling her she's wrong." Harry warned

"I just wanted to-"

"If you just wanted to approach her… just go talk to her? You're a Ravenclaw… go discuss something smart!" Harry counselled.

"Hermione." Eric greeted her,

"Eric." Hermione returned,

"A charm you're working on?" He feigned not knowing just which one,

"Yeah, I just can't seem to get it to work perfectly." Hermione sighed, almost giving up.

"Perhaps if you straighten your elbow slightly…" Eric began; they taught him this around 5th year!

"Almost." Hermione could feel the charm getting more… concentrated. She couldn't explain how she knew, but, it was a feeling.

"YEAH!!! CHECK IT OUT!!" Hermione heard the immature Head Boy squeal with pleasure upon mastering the spell; she couldn't take her eyes off him.

"_Quadlibet_," Eric whispered, making her repeat after him.

"Wow." Hermione got it. "Thanks. I mean, really. You're good."

"No problem. If you need anymore help, not that you do. If you want anymore tips. I'll be over there." And he walked back towards the Gryffindor guys who were definitely not looking at him and unquestionably not listening to them.

"Eric." Hermione called after. "Maybe we could discuss some of these charms after class?"

"Sure." Eric beamed.

Harry smiled, at least they looked happy. He chanced a glance at Malfoy.

But for how long?

---

So many cheering for Eric to make a move on Hermione, I couldn't say no!

Remember our deal!! **You have to review now!!**


	6. What do i do? What do I want?

Why are you all etching for a fight? Whatever happened to rainbows and sunshine? Lol. Not that I particularly want any. I'll keep you're… ideas… in mind.

Not that this is in any way relevant to the fic, I just went to prize giving and I GOT A PRIZE. 1st time I've been to one of those. Rather blown away. (Just thought I'd share that with you)

Eric's accent is barely noticeable. You wouldn't be able to detect it unless you were very observant!

---

"Thank you." Hermione thanked him. He smiled back, telling her the pleasure was entirely his.

"Well done class, especially you Eric; you've caught up so well. Class dismissed."

Harry caught Draco muttering something darkly and had a suspicious feeling something was up.

"May I walk you?" Eric asked laughing flirtatiously and Hermione went along.

"Sure." She agreed, mesmerised by such gentlemanly acts that reminded her of someone.

"Uh Hermione. Can I…" Harry started coughing. He turned around and saw Draco, deviously left behind by his comrades. Draco was looking outside the windows, on the walls; anywhere but at the little group before him. No matter how untrustworthy these Slytherins were, they'd never leave one of their own behind, much less _Draco._ "Eric, you go ahead."

Eric eyed Harry for a moment, evaluating if he was a foe or not. If he presented a challenge that rivalled him to win over the object of his affects. A challenge, yes he could be; but a rival or foe no. This was Harry Potter.

"Sure." Eric agreed and walked along, giving the space the Gryffindors asked for.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, slightly bothered,

"I need to talk to you…" Harry muttered underneath his breath. By the tone he was talking in, Hermione knew it would be unwise to object and nodded her head in agreement.

"Look, Er-" Draco slammed Harry against the wall, the look of surprise on Draco's face told Harry just what Draco had in mind. "Harry."

Hermione looked at the two questioningly.

"Uh… Hermione. I'll catch up later. This looks…urgent. I need to have a chat to Malfoy here. We'll talk after dinner. In the commons, no leaving without me." Harry excused, "Go catch up with Eric."

Harry could feel Draco's face burning up.

"What you're problem, man?" Harry asked as Hermione was well out of sight, pushing him back into the now empty classroom.

"Nothing." Draco mumbled.

"Didn't look like nothing. You nearly murdered me out there. What's got in to you?" Harry began reciting,

"_Nothing." _Draco began withdrawing, wondering how he could get the wrong guy. Harry's and Eric's hair were surprisingly similar.

"What do you want with Eric?" Harry asked, still remembering their conversation last year. He wanted so much to believe it wasn't true, but everything fitted together so much better when it was.

"Nothing." Draco muttered, why the hell do these Gryffindors have to be so _nosey?_

"Tell me. Is this about Hermione? Is this part of your ingenious plan? Are you, once again, going to destroy me?" Harry provoked, "I see the way you look at her, when you think no one's watching. I see the way you look anywhere but at her when people are looking. You think us Gryffindors are so _stupid _that we're all _idiots. _She must be living proof, then, huh? Maybe your plan back fired? Maybe you lost track of your brilliant plan. Maybe you can't stick to it." Harry paused for a breath, panting hard at yelling at the sullen Slytherin, not quite finished.

"So what if I'm…fond of her." Draco relented.

"Fond? Or suddenly crazy jealous because some new guy dares to take your girl? Suddenly over possessive, even though you chucked her away like some boring toy?" Harry continued raving. Anyone who witnessed could see the two were heavily infatuated, but it would've had to be an outside perspective.

"I just wanted to tell the van die bitch to leave her alone. I just wanted to warn him, from both of us, not to hurt her. I thought you would support me in this. I thought you'd want for your lover girl to be safe. I would've thought you wouldn't want to protect Hermione. I assumed that you wouldn't want her to go through it again." Draco defended.

"You want to mark your territory? Make sure no one can even get close to Hermione? Is that what you would call happy? I suppose you Slytherins wouldn't know. It's better to love than to not love at all. You chucked her out, _Malfoy, _so you have no right!" Harry argued,

"What give you the right?"

"Nothing. It isn't my right. I gave her up even before you did. Even though we – I and perhaps you, care fore her. It's not our right. If Hermione chooses to be with him, it's her choice. Let her." Harry breathed,

"How can you live with it? Knowing that someone else has her? Knowing that she's happy with someone else. Without you?" Draco asked, a voice below a whisper,

"Because I know she's happy. And alive. Even though without me she's still alive and happy. Knowing that she doesn't need me as much as I need her, knowing that life would go on for her if I was to suddenly disappear. Knowing I wouldn't be the cause of any pain or suffering she might go through." Harry answered with passion,

"But you still have her, she still runs to you for counsel. If she was unhappy, you could help her. If she was confused you could guide her. If she was hurt, you would heal her." Draco looked up, his eyes suspiciously glistening, his voice breaking.

"But you don't." Harry realised.

"Yes." Draco moved away, knowing that she was in capable hands, though he resolved to keep watch over her. Even if it was from afar.

"Why?" Harry wondered, "Why did you push her away? You had her."

"For the same reasons you did, Potter."

_Same reasons?_

---

"Harry, you wanted to talk to me?" Hermione approached him. Harry looked up and motioned her onto the scarlet velvet couch.

"I just… I just wanted to ask about Eric." Harry murmured, still replaying in his mind the conversation between him and Malfoy.

"It seems everyone wants to hear about him." Hermione admitted shyly, eager to spill the gossip.

"You're into him?" Harry asked; the words weren't as strained as he thought they'd be.

"I don't know." Hermione revealed. "It's just so strange. He could probably have any girl he wants. Why me? It just seems a little strange that he'd be interested in me." Hermione couldn't help but think she was the luckiest girl in the school, no, in the world!

First was the famed Harry Potter taking an interest in her, then the cold and unlikely Draco Malfoy. Now the handsome new foreign guy.

"I didn't whether you're into him. Not to doubt whether he's into you." Harry playfully nudged.

"I don't know. I guess so."

"Any sparks? Fireworks? Tingling sensation?" Harry laughed giddily, remembering,

"No." She admitted.

"I suppose it'll grow on you…" Harry excused, not expecting that answer.

Hermione stared back at him, not really buying it. They sat in silence, staring at each other. It had been so perfect before.

But they can't go back. It'll never be the same, no matter how hard they tried. It was as if the memory of them being together was just that. A memory, never to be relived.

"It wasn't like that for us." Hermione admitted randomly, "There was even a strange pull between me and… Malfoy."

Harry continued to stare at her.

"There's no other way to ask this. And I'm sure you're not. But I have to make sure." Harry took a deep breathe, closed his eyes not wanting to face her. "Are-you-using-Eric-to-get-back-at-Draco-I-mean-Malfoy-to-make-him-jealous-like-you-used-him-against-me?"

Hermione stared at the ground.

"I don't know. Honestly, I thought about it. But I guess I've learned my lesson. With Draco and You, and all…" Hermione trailed off, sighing. "He's never going to come around is he? No matter how much space I give him. No matter how much time."

"He's…set a resolve." Harry trod carefully, "Just be careful, Hermione. I don't want you to get hurt, I don't you to have to go through it again. But, remember, it's better to love and loss than to never love at all. Eric looks like a nice guy. But it's up to you."

"I don't know." Hermione confided,

"You'll know what you want soon." Harry assured, thinking how ironic it was him giving the advice to her. It was so often that it was vice versa that…

He'd also have to get to the bottom of what Malfoy was on about. So many things were happening. It seemed so unfair.

"I already know what want." Hermione whispered.

---

Heart-felt and… strangely appealing.

And your opinion is…


	7. Hermione DRUNK?

Hey, so sorry to keep you all waiting. It's finally break and I haven't had any spare time lately!

---

Potions. The only class Gryffindors are forced to share with the Slytherins and no one else. The one class many Gryffindors hated not only because of the vermin that were set upon them (namely Slytherins), but because their commander was not the usual slimy rat-faced git (namely Malfoy), but the very head of the whole Slytherin house. The one who seemed to spawn the hostile race that took pleasure in tormenting them.

Only one of the Gryffindors seemed to enjoy this class. But then, she enjoyed every class. (With a poor exception to Divination!) She didn't mind the Slytherins, even after what they had done to he. She didn't mind Malfoy, who she insists on calling Draco whenever the namesake is out of earshot. She didn't even mind the teacher, who had been anything but kind towards her in all her years in Hogwarts.

A scream broke through the maimed class, broke through Hermione analytical pondering. It was shrill, definitely belonging to a girl. The volume of it suggested there was some distance between them.

Snape's beak seemed to still and freeze, tilting its way skyward, he glared at the class as if questioning whether to take action of not. As the pupils were scrutinized, Harry was up on his feet ready to act and made his way towards the door.

"Potter. What do you think you're doing? Sit back down!" He barked. "No students are to leave this classroom until I come back."

Striding out of the room, leaving the Head Boy in charge, Draco had an evil grin plastered on his face.

"Who wants to snoop around?" he asked of his Slytherins.

"We can go on an adventure!" Longbottom leapt out of his seat. Everyone turned to stare at him; Neville only felt it right he sit down after the daggers the Slytherins were throwing at him with their eyes.

"Shut up." Draco snapped at him, turning back once more to his own house.

"Malfoy, it's not fair if you get to go!" Harry argued.

"Life's not fair, Potter. You know it." With an all-knowing smirk, Malfoy winked at him. Turning back, once again, Draco swore he heard someone whisper something scandalous about that wink and damn the world for being so closed minded.

"I'll pick say… 3 people to go with me and the rest stay here just in case." Draco decided. Pointing at Blaise and Malcolm, the two obvious ones; Draco's gazed switched from Pansy to Anna and back again. Draco shrugged,

"Did I say 3, I mean 2." Draco amended; the glares of murder Anna and Pansy shot at each other were enough to make him rejoice in house pride.

"We're coming with you!" Harry demanded. The damn weasel pet of Potter was at his heel nodding as if it had caught rabies. And Granger, the filthy….

She looked at him with hope, a smile that should not be gracing her lips when she knew he was breaking a rule. Draco entertained himself with the thought that maybe she made an exception for him. So unlike the Granger he knew to do so. So like _Hermione_, his Gryffindor princess.

"Whatever, Potter." He never too his eyes off Hermione. How everyone in the room noticed, however, was beyond him.

"What if something goes wrong?" Neville cried just as they about to leave,

"It won't." Draco assured bluntly.

"But what if-" Dean persisted

"Say I'm out for a piss." Draco muttered, eager to get away from these Gryffindors who had no lives. "You two. Take over the lesson." He gestured towards Anna and Pansy.

Finally reaching the scene, though hidden amongst, it was clear what had caused all the commotion. Harry stopped dead, Draco joined him; but the others seemed only moderately concerned about it.

"What do we do?" Professor Sprout was asking Dumbledore.

"Gather all the students from the classes immediately. We may all be in grave danger."

The teachers began to leave, acting upon the Headmaster's order, Draco gulped suddenly; it was his responsibility to be in the class watching over his classmates. What happens if they were really in danger? He should've been there. Someone could've been hurt. Either way, leaving Anna and Pansy in charge was enough to start an atomic bomb. Bugger. Shit. Fuck.

"We have to go now. Quickly. Now you imbeciles, not time to study the brilliant scene before us. No you may not collect samples you book headed wench! Now follow me!" Hermione muttered something darkly back at him, but Harry could see that Draco was truly worried.

"Let's go." Harry said, and all six made to move all at once. Stumbling over themselves, Draco knew right then and there he was about to be sentenced to damnation by Snape. They all landing in a big pile of wriggling mess, each trying to get up and bowling the others down in attempt. What was worse is the bloody Gryffindors might have to go with him. Fuck. Shit. Bugger.

"I am surrounded by idiots!" Draco drawled, making the big lump of 7th years laugh at the unlikely situation. "Arghh! I'm getting as bad as you lot." He grimaced and looked down at them. "Must be the company I keep."

Back to the dungeons where, in Draco's sole opinion, he rightfully belonged. He single filed them into the classroom, making sure all five of them were there and him entering the classroom the very last.

"What's going on?" Anna or Pansy squeaked upon their Lord's return.

"…" Draco had no chance to reply as e heard an all too familiar voice drawl behind him.

"Malfoy, please attempt to excuse why have been sighted out of class?"

Calmly walking back to his usual seat from up the front,

"I was taking a piss." He answered with unnerving serenity.

"Yes." Snape agreed, the Slytherin phrase of agreement thickly coated with sarcasm. "We are to all go to the Great Hall."

"I am regretting to call yet another assembly so soon." Dumbledore began. "But it seems the previous note in our latter assembly was – is – very serious. There have been sightings of certain markings, yes, and we are very aware from which origins they came. Three students have also been reported missing, clearly linking to this. These were three Hufflepuff second year girls. The only link we have on the two abductions are that they were all female and muggle born. I suggest you take special care if you are either or both. From now on, everyone; excluding staff; must be pair whenever and wherever. We have a dire situation among us. We advise you know more than every not to leave school grounds and property."

A soft murmuring began, only to be ceased,

"Prefects and Heads meeting will follow. If you are one of them, please stay. Otherwise, please exit now; you will all be glad to know that they will be patrolling the grounds. Please exit the hall quickly and promptly make your way to resume your next lesson due to begin in exactly five minutes. Lateness will be punished accordingly like usual." Professor McGonagall declared.

"We will be paring you up, like the Headmaster orders and you will perform your duties day as well as night. You will begin immediately. Never wonder form your pairs, and always keep each other in sight. Heads will be paired together for obvious reasons." She looked at them. "You two may begin now. For the rest of you; Ronald Weasley with…"

"Bugger." Draco muttered as he exited the hall with Hermione.

"Where are you going? We should really patrol our posts." Hermione insisted.

"I'm going to the lake. Don't know about you, but it calms me there. I need to think. Besides, it's Thursday." Draco called after her, avoiding any unnecessary eye contact.

"What's that?" Hermione asked, eying the bottle she knew was Fire Whisky. Draco smirked at her – dammit! – and looked in her eyes.

"Want some?" he offered carelessly, looking away from her again towards the calming lake.

Hermione surged with hope, knowing it was wrong, and took some. Draco was finally being… Draco. Not Malfoy.

"Merlin, Granger. How much did you take?" Draco turned back to her to retrieve his bottle.

"Nort vewy muoch." Hermione giggled. She looked at how angelic the sadistic boy looked. Why was he doing this to her?

She felt so light and carefree.

"Granger. What in the wizarding world are you doing?" Draco muttered.

"Fliein'!" she choked out whilst honing around flapping her 'wings' and laughing merrily to herself. Draco chuckled pitiably to himself; Granger drunk was a truly wondrous sight, wishing he could only drown his problems the same way. He looked mournfully at the near empty bottle and back to the intoxicated Head Girl.

Hermione looked at Draco; he was so goddam sexy. She couldn't understand why he ever gelled back his hair.

"Your haaar looks sechxy ungelled." Hermione declared to Draco who was for once tryingt o be decent.

"You're wasted." He beamed at her.

She felt like singing. But all the songs she knew were so… _nice._

"Do you know any naughty songs?" She coyly asked the boy who was watching her, smiling, underneath the tree and stumbled closer to him and landed at his feet.

"Merlin's beard." Draco helped her up.

"Don know tha one." She admitted, "How do it gu?"

---

Left Eric outta the chappie so many reviewers may refrain from plunging into a muderous fit. More later. Probably.

Don't forget to review!!! (see howi am slowly decreasing the pressure to review, in hope of you sly vixens out there who don't review to come to your senses!!!!!)


	8. Mysterious Disappearances

Glad to hear it! Thank you to all reviewers!!! You make me feel so special!!! Lol. You and all your encouragements. Especially the ones to update. I suppose flattery will get you anywhere.

Evil Eric? (gasp) how so? I've always portrayed him so nice!!! Wherever did you get that idea from? Hm?

---

"I trust you not to take advantage of her while she's intoxicated?" Draco made sure, gazing sleepily at the knocked out Hermione in his arms.

"Can I trust that you haven't already taken advantage of her?" Harry fired back. When the fifth years ran up to him saying Malfoy was outside the portrait, Harry dropped his books immediately and rushed to meet him in anticipation that something might have gone wrong. He saw he was right in a way, but in a somewhat lower scale.

Seeing Hermione in Draco's arms, as if unconscious, Harry didn't know whether to rejoice or fret.

"There you go." Draco murmured to Hermione as he handed her to Harry.

"What happened." It wasn't a question.

"Do you really want to know?" Draco asked,

_No._

"But I suppose I'll tell you before you start clawing my eyes out. I had some Firewhisky with me to… calm my nerves. Since we were paired up, I offered her some. Didn't know she would take care of nearly the whole bottle. Amazing sight she is, though, when drunk. Hilarious; she offered to elope with me to Durmstrang and grow tiger lilies around our cottage we were to live in. Suppose she thought we could live on tiger lilies." Draco chuckled, looking suddenly too affectionate to Hermione for Harry's liking.

"How long was has she been out for?" Harry really didn't want to know.

"Oh… five minutes? As soon as she plopped down I came straight here. Better nurse her back to help, o Harry Savior Potter; she's going to have one hell of a hangover when she regains her senses.

"Malfoy, are you drunk?" Harry inquired,

"Not nearly enough." Draco muttered back, stroking Hermione's hair. Her eyes fluttered open and she returned his dreamy gaze.

"Aiye wuv yu." She muttered, before drifting back to unconsciousness.

"Oh god." Harry spluttered, wondering how the Malfoy would react. Draco sighed,

"Me too." He agreed.

"I'm guessing you two got partnered up." Harry sighed.

"Yes. Out of curiosity, who was graced with the luck to be protected by the famed Harry Potter?" Draco drawled, even in his drunk state he seemed to get the best of Harry. It was in his very being.

"Ginny." Harry replied through his gritted teeth. "We got to choose who we were partnered with."

"Had to choose a girl, didn't you Potter? You sly devil, I take my hat off to you; o The Boy Who Lived To Perve On Innocent Girls." As Draco pretended to take off the hat on his head, Harry was turning a surprising shade of maroon.

"Malfoy, you're not sober. Go… bang your head on some other house's wall. You're scaring the first years. I'll talk to you some other time." Harry couldn't keep his mouth from twitching.

"No no, Potter. I refuse to talk to you. Must not. No, not I. Hermione might have got some words out of me, but I refuse to accomplice you. Don't look at me like that. It's not as if only the first years are scared. Everybody in the whole sodding school is terrified. Except for me of course." H stopped blabbering for a moment, "at least we'll know she's safe from it all." He paused again, squinting, and thinking to himself. "Or is she?"

As Draco stalked off. Harry, very pleased Malfoy decided to terrorize his own bloody housemates for once, brought Hermione inside. Over Ron and Ginny's fussing, Harry assured himself that if the Dark Lord was to somehow kidnap Draco, he was in for one hell of a headache; in the state he's in, Draco was enough to make even the Dark Lord plunge into insanity. Anyone listening to that singing would be better off dead, Harry reasoned.

---

"Damn and Damnation." Draco muttered as he stumbled over a stool he could've sworn did not belong in the common area.

"Bugger it all, he's drunk." Blaise chuckled,

"All the better." Malcolm piped in, "Poker anyone?"

Blaise nodded in agreement as Draco scrambled over.

"Heard you got Granger for your partner." Malcolm murmured as he dealt.

"Mmm" Draco agreed, never taking his eyes off the cards, watching for some sign of cheating. "Pick each other as partners?" He asked absently. He sniffed the drink that was handed to him, out of habit.

The looked at each other.

"Pick?" Blaise asked softly, "We didn't get to choose, like you. I got chucked with Pansy." The expression on his face implied that he was anything but happy about the arrangement.

"Anna." Malcolm replied before the question was asked.

"It was as Snape did this to us on purpose." Blaise growled.

"Funny thing is," Draco chuckled, "The Gryffindors got to choose."

Blaise choked. Malcolm scoffed.

"And what were you doing hanging around them again?" Blaise asked,

"I got paired with the Mudblood." Draco growled, how dare they question him?

"Poor you." Malcolm offered.

"Nah." Draco admitted. "Fine little ass she's got."

Blaise choked and Malcolm sprayed the table with lemon liquor. Specially imported from… someplace.

Draco sipped on his glass as if nothing in world could've possibly be wrong.

"You and…"

_The Mudblood?_

_Granger?_

_Hermione?_

"…your partner are… involved?" Malcolm tried again.

"Nah." Draco held up a bottle he kept in his robe, "Just go her wasted; she drunk that much." He put this finger to show them just how much.

Blaise continued to make choking noises. Malcolm chuckled and shook his head. Draco beamed with pride.

"What will it be?" Malcolm asked of the Poker game.

"Double or nothing." Draco decided, "Let's start with, I don't know… 5000 galleons."

Malcolm continued to make choking noises; in a game of double or nothing, no matter dirty rich you were, you _do not _start it at _five thousand galleons_!!!

"Sober up, Malfoy." Blaise decided, shaking his head and booting Draco out of the game. "Go get some rest, for Salazar's sake."

Muttering darkly, Draco got up and began his quest for his bed.

"So, what do you know about all these disappearances?" Malcolm wondered, staring into the fire. Blaise shrugged.

"Do you think any of us will be taken?" Blaise asked, knowing it was useless to. "We should've asked him."

"In this state? We won't get anything out of him like _that_. Merlin, we're lucky he didn't order a herd of Pink Elephants to parade for him like he insisted last time."

Blaise chuckled insanely, remembering.

"He actually ordered them himself in the end, didn't he? Remember when he got that howler?" Blaise brought up as they howled with laughter.

Anna and Pansy came to join them, muttering something about Snape coming, something about him throttling them if they weren't paired right and left the boys to their game as they curled up beside them and gently drifted into sleep.

---

Breakfast was usual enough, a siding from the Slytherins all looking anything but peaky and both Hermione and Draco looking worse than they would if five hippogriffs were to trample over their heads.

Draco, making everyone's life a living hell, ordered everyone to hand over all his or her coffee.

"Give me coffee, damn you! I…need…coffee. Whoever insists on practicing that damn gong should stop right now. I wish it. Coffee, you incapable fool. I WANT COFFEE. I order you. Give… me… that."

Hermione, on the other hand, had never experienced it before and had no idea how to control it.

"Oh, Harry. Please don't shout. I keep hearing this rhythmic banging. Go away." She moaned,

"Sorry." Harry adjusted his mumblings to the apologetic whisper. They were both lucky the hall was unusually quiet.

"What do you want?" Harry almost snarled as Eric approached their table. He had forgotten about the stranger, thinking perhaps all would be well with Draco and Hermione; thinking perhaps there would be no need to replace Draco.

"I just wanted to make sure Hermione was alright." Eric looked curiously at Harry. "Are you?" He kept looking at Harry.

"Yes. Definitely; I'm good." Harry spluttered. "Sorry."

Hermione smiled weakly at him and cringed away from the loud noises Eric was making.

"I was jut wondering… yesterday… about Dumbledore's speech." Eric hinted,

"She's already got a partner." Harry answered for her.

Eric looked stunned at Harry, and then back to Hermione. A flicker of acknowledgement flashed across his eyes.

"Very well." Eric walked away.

"Harry!" Ron boomed as he brushed the sleep from his eyes.

"Ron." Hermione said weakly.

"Oh, sorry." Ron murmured. Wow. It as amazing that Hermione actually got drunk. Ron couldn't believe it when Harry carried her into the common room last night. He couldn't until Harry muttered something about Malfoy. "Is she going to Hogsmeade?" Ron asked Harry and continued to eye his list of things to buy.

Harry shrugged, but doubted that she would choose to go.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ginny asked worriedly. When Hermione dug her face into her hands, moaning, Ginny felt a pang of pity stab against her; in attempt to fight off the laughter that was building in her, Ginny purposely started a coughing fit.

Hermione cringed away, bracing herself if someone slammed the entrance doors, she whimpered knowing she would simply die.

"I'll get her some…books." Ron scrunched his nose; detesting the thought of voluntary wasting what money he had on books, and scribbled it on his list.

Still Hermione cringed away from Ron's waaay-too-loud-and-so-called-murmuring.

"So what do you think about the disappearances." Ginny brought up, looking up to Harry with such hope filled eyes, Harry suddenly knew why the Hall was so quiet. "Ron, stop it." Ginny brushed away her brothers hands sneakily trying to steal another one of her very special sugar quills.

Ginny grabbed a fork and made a stabbing motion towards her brother's force of evading hands.

"Stay away, brother dearest." Ginny warned, still looking up at Harry with such trust.

"I don't really know." Harry admitted, but the look Ginny gave him couldn't be dimmed, "I think…" Harry looked around, piecing the pieces of the puzzle… there was one bit missing… just that one little piece. It felt as if the answer was right under his nose.

"It's okay, Harry. You'll get it." Ginny assured. "Ron! You better buy me more. Merlin's beard, just because you're older than me doesn't mean you can steal my things!" Ginny pouted, turning away from Harry to face her annoying brother who succeeded in abducting her supply. "Put them on that scrawny list of yours." She insisted, flicking the scraps of food at her brother.

"By God!" Harry exclaimed.

He had it.

---

OOOooOOooo…

Can you figure it out? Willing to take a stab at it? ( a little voice chants: _review, review review! _)

I only rated 9/10 for the last chappie? : (

How'd I do this time? Give me a rating say… out of a 100? ( the little voice chants, yet again: _review, Review, REVIEW!!! _)


	9. The List!

I'm on holiday. I shouldn't be writing! From threats to bribes… how can I refuse?

Thanks for your ratings; some overly flatters, whilst others explained just where I went a little wrong! Thanks! Ummm… perhaps you can keep rating it out of a 100 with your usual comments? Perhaps?

No, I did not copy anything in the last chapter from anywhere.

Congrats**…(HU R U??? I can't find you. Dammit. Review again so I can congratulate you!!!)…** your presumption was right!!! You shrewd devil! Go you and your good… detectiveness?

---

"Malfoy. In there, now." Harry caught up to the Slytherin who was shrouded in a thick cloak of venomous housemates. He had to catch the sly devil before the resolution that just leapt on him flew away.

"Potter." Draco grimaced.

Harry stood still, holding out his palm to the room. Anna whined as Draco moved towards it.

"Must go and ruin what is left of the Gryffindor's life!" Draco called out as he fluttered away from his fellow Slytherins. Anna, Blaise, Pansy and Malcolm grimaced but followed his command.

"Potter." Draco repeated.

"Where is the list?" Harry asked in a tone below a whisper,

"Taken care of." Draco replied steadily, a cold façade on his face and what was left of his merry hand-over mood disintegrated.

"The disappearances." Harry brought up. Draco never wavered and waited for Harry to continue. "You have something to do with this! Where is the bloody list?"

"Taken care of." Draco repeated.

"Where is the list?" Harry asked again. "WHERE IS THE GOD DAMN LIST??"

Only inches away from Harry, Draco didn't even blink.

"Taken care of." He said again, repeating it in the exact calm tone as before, unfazed.

"You know something." Harry squinted. They stared at each other in silence; Harry daring Draco to admit something – anything -, as Draco measured his words.

"Yes." Draco admitted.

"What is it?" Harry replied through clenched teeth. Draco shrugged calmly, agitating Harry so much by his sickening calmness. "People are disappearing. Voldemort has them. They could be dead or going through much worse. You know something. You can help. AND YOU WON'T SAY ANYTHING??"

"People?" Draco scoffed, a sardonic glint of… _Malfoy _showed itself. "Mudbloods, remember Potter? _Mudbloods _are disappearing. Why would I want to say anything?"

Harry stared at the Malfoy in all his malice in front of him, dumbfounded.

"I thought…"

"I'm a Slytherin, Potter." Draco reminded bluntly. "I'm a Malfoy."

"I thought you were different. I thought…" Harry spluttered the first thing the came into his head.

"Didn't you have enough before? Stretch your pathetic memory to last year. Do you really think I can change? Do you really?" Draco asked of him, sneering at the thought.

"Why?" Harry pleaded,

"I'm a Slytherin." Draco explained bluntly, as if the three words were enough explanation, as if the three words could excuse and justify what he's doing.

"…But…" The Boy Who Lived looked slightly lost. "Hermione?"

"Don't worry about her." Draco offered Harry some comfort. He didn't take it.

"Don't worry? Don't worry? What are you on, _Malfoy? _Muggle borns are disappearing from the school! No one knows how or why they are, only that Voldemort has them! They are probably dead, if not worse! DON'T WORRY ABOUT HER? I love her. She's in love with the one person that, apparently, could hate muggle borns more than the Dark Lord himself. What the hell are you on?" Harry panted, gasping for breath. The nervous strain from all the abductions and Harry's latter statement made Draco release a nervous chuckle.

"What are you talking about? She doesn't love me." Draco failed to ease Harry's fear by ignoring everything else he just said; by not denying it. It was Harry's turn to give a nervous chuckle.

"Have you even talked to her?" Harry asked. Stupid question. "Like, properly. Out of your free will, have you actually talked to her?"

"A Slytherin never consorts with a Gryffindor by choice." The simple law of Hogwarts. Too blinded by his own beliefs, Harry didn't see the hurt and despair as Draco recited it.

"What did you do with the list?" Harry asked again, shaking his head but left Malfoy to believe what he wants.

"I took care of it." Draco didn't miss a beat.

"Please." He pleaded, "For…"

_House unity?_

_Hogwarts?_

_What would Draco fall for?_

"Whatever, Potter. I'm not entirely incompetent as you Gryffindors. It's taken care of." Draco assured for the sake of…

"But then…" Harry sighed. "I was sure…" he thought aloud.

Sitting down on the chair and sighing, leaving Harry to find his own seat, Draco rubbed his temples.

"The list I took when you were with me is taken care of." Harry noticed the lack of the word 'we' in Malfoy's sentence, "No longer could it be any use to them."

_Them! He doesn't consider himself one of them! _Harry beamed.

"But there are two explanations I can think of: one, either the list I took was only part of other, longer lists and your Mudblood that you're so besotted with is safe; or, two, if you can compile one list, you can always make another. I think it's the latter, Potter. I believe they conjured up another list, somehow. I think your Mudblood is in danger."

_You're besotted with her too. _Harry had to bite his lip to refrain from blurting it out.

"There's another list." Harry repeated, making sure he understood, the shock of the news made him sit on the near-by bench for support as he took it in.

"Voldemort has another list." Draco clarified. Harry cringed back at the name, caught off guard. It was only a name.

"And you, who knows probably more than anybody in this school, are a Slytherin. You are a bad, muggle hating Slytherin." Harry stated. Draco shrugged.

"I could be a… good… Slytherin? Just this once. In secret. Living a double life? No one knowing about it." Draco alternated, choking on the very words.

_Is he suggesting something?_

"A GOOD SLYTHERIN??" Harry exploded, first he wants nothing to do with it… now… "The words don't make sense, the sentence won't make sense!"

"Oxymoron." Draco chanced and asked. What was he playing at, first he doesn't want anything to do with Hermione, now he's leaping at the chance to… do what exactly?

"I am not!" Harry denied indignantly; he wasn't sure what an oxymoron was, but this was Draco; it must've been something bad.

Draco burst out laughing, shaking his head. Judging by the confused expression on Potter's face, Draco decided to let it slide.

"Then what do you propose we do?" Draco asked, humbled,

"You could-" Harry began,

"You had your chance, Potter. I am now the evil supreme ruler of nasty Mudblood detesting Slytherins. Did I mention _evil _in there somewhere?" Draco announced as he held up his hand for silence.

"I already knew that." Harry piped in.

"Well. If I am to do anything that might be close to helping you, well, it can't be public. At all. I will not risk tainting my reputation with the likes of, well; you." Draco made sure; Potter only rolled his eyes which Malfoy took as a confirmation. "So I must be off and rejoin my fellow vile Mudblood loathing housemates. Must plot your doom and once again be the arch foe to you as I was seven years ago. Will discuss the situation with you later when you haven't announced it to the entire school."

Draco leapt up and was out of the door before Harry could object. The Boy Who Lived just shook his head, wondering what the Slytherin was up to. Why so eager to help him?

---

"Uh… Hermione?" Harry approached her, slightly timid,

"Yes, Harry." Hermione acknowledged,

"I was wondering…" he inched closer to her on the scarlet velvet couch in their common room, "What is an Oxymoron?" he whispered very closely to her ear.

_I must make sure no one hears. Must make sure this never reaches the ears of Dr- Malfoy._

Hermione smiled at him seeking her out for knowledge. He had changed.

"A figure of speech, Harry. In which apparent contradictory terms appear together in conjunction. Like… deafening silence." Hermione explained, beaming as she shared her knowledge.

---

Sorry… again. (remember… out of 100!)


	10. It was the only way

TOO SHORT??? NO. Just…no.

Eric? Yes…hmmm… where does he come in. Well. I'm not giving anything away, mwahahaha!

---

"Granger, for Merlin's sake; go read a book or something." Draco muttered while fluttering his hands in annoyance to give her leave.

"Malfoy." She grimaced. "We're on duty. Does that mean _anything _to you?"

The expression on his face, suggesting that he never thought such thing possible, was enough.

"Is You Know Who really back?" She asked in an innocent whisper. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as the snowflakes gentle ornamented her hair. The puffs of steam shooting out of her nose and mouth as she spoke were another matter.

"Really, Granger." Draco tried to brush her off. "I'm delicate; I shouldn't be out here slaving for Merlin knows what."

"Is that a yes?" She assumed when he avoided her previous question. Annoyingly brushing away the snow, he looked in her eyes.

"Yes." It didn't occur to him to lie to make her feel better, but she didn't flinch as she heard the blunt truth.

"Does it have anything to do with what happened last year?" Hermione asked, never wavering from Malfoy's intense gaze. He arched his eyebrow even though he knew exactly what incident Hermione was referring to. "At your Manor."

"Possibly." Draco admitted, his tone below a whisper. They stared at each other in silence getting enveloped in white.

"You're right. It's kinda cold." Hermione changed the subject, knowing it wasn't a good idea to push Slytherins too far. Draco reached fro her hands and Hermione didn't pull away. Rubbing them together he bought her hands close to his face and breathed in on them in a vain attempt to keep them warm. As the cloud of fogging steam thinned, Draco saw Hermione grinning impishly back at him.

"Am I interrupting something?" Eric asked as he watched the ridiculous scene before him. From what he had heard, Gryffindors and Slytherins do not willingly go within 10 ft of each other. A Ravenclaw, judging by his robes, stood behind Eric; Hermione had seen him around but never really talked to him in all her seven years.

"No." Draco muttered before taking Hermione by her hands and leading them away from the interruption. Eric and what's-his-name followed.

"Uh, Hermione? Where's Harry, you shouldn't be here alone! And you; Malfoy init? Where's your partner? Perhaps you will let me escort Hermione back to her commons and partner, as we all know what the likes of you think of her kind." Eric asked, giving Hermione back her hands as he took them away from Malfoy. Hermione stared at him in horror.

"The likes of me? Her kind?" Draco asked too calmly, masking all emotion. Draco walked away from Hermione and the other Ravenclaw, Eric motioned for them not to follow and they didn't.

"Yes, a Slytherin. I heard they aren't fond of Gryffindors, much less muggle borns. A Malfoy, I've heard that name before you see; even in Durmstrang you're famous. You and your family, of all wizards, prize the pureblood principals more than ever." Eric answered, blissfully unaware of the rage building in our Slytherin angel of doom.

"I am a Slytherin." Draco confirmed. "I am a Malfoy; Draco Malfoy, a pureblood; just like you Eriv van der Strandsen."

"Then you wouldn't mind? Go back to your partner, you of all people must know when you're not wanted." Eric replied haughtily, and began walking back to claim his Gryffindor prize. "Heard your father's in Azkaban, no wonder, really though. Striking resemblance you two have."

"WHY YOU!!!" Draco lost it and lunged for Eric's throat.

"Going to murder me to complete your dream of following daddy's footsteps are you, Malfoy?" Eric provoked through gritted teeth.

"Dead people can't talk. No one will ever know." Draco threatened, his wand aimed dangerously towards Eric.

"You may be a splitting image of him, Malfoy; but I know you won't do it. Do you know what they say about you?" Eric asked, getting up and brushing the snow from his robes. "You'll end up just like your father. Everyone can see the same Malfoy through your eyes. The same Malfoy threatening to end my life now. But then there's something else; we purebloods all know who was there to help The Boy Who Lived wriggle free from Voldemort's grasp a few month's ago. We know how much power you must wield in order to do so. I also know why."

"You claim everyone is afraid of me. Why aren't you? I'm that famous." Draco gave a fake bow, "I'm a Malfoy, Stransen; deal with it. No; I won't kill you. You must think us other houses dense, you stuck up Ravenclaw; we Slytherins are cunning." Draco withdrew his wand and just looked at Eric up and down as if in criticism. As no one moved, Draco decided to go and escort the waiting Hermione back to commons before she froze to death because of the incompetent Ravenclaw.

"Cunning?" Eric scoffed and raced towards Draco's unprotected back. He got out his wand.

"_Kilandr-" _Eric was interrupted.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Hermione's voice echo through the woods and Eric's wand flew out of his hand.

"Yes; yes I am." Draco replied, picking the wand up and leaving Eric defenseless.

---

"More students are missing." Dumbledore declared to everyone's non-amazement in yet another emergency assembly. There was a quiet murmur, but it was all some would dare. Very few people would step out of line.

It was a Gryffindor. Hermione stared blankly in front of her; the reality of what was happening finally struck her. People were going missing. The Dark Mark was spotted on campus twice. A Gryffindor had finally gone missing; someone she knew. No wonder why the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were so sullen before. No wonder why the Slytherins were so placid.

Dean was missing.

Gone.

Hermione bought her hands together, not quite registering what had really been announce but was glad to the end of Dumbledore's ramblings. She had respect for the great professor, but now wasn't the time to appreciate it.

Gone.

"We are doing what we can with no leads. We have shut down contact with outside; so there will be, as from now, to Hogsmeade. This should prevent all abductions. May you all sleep soundly tonight." Professor McGonnagal assured the school.

_Gone._

---

"It's so strange." Hermione admitted, the darkness forming a bubble around them to shield the two from the outside world. "It's… It's finally hitting me."

Draco stared back at her and thanked what powers there were for his position as Head Boy and such a thing as a night round. How ironic she would confide in him of all people.

"And the only thing in common; the only thing anyone knows is," Hermione lowered her voice to a strained whisper; as if someone other than random prefects, too, doing their rounds would hear, "they're all Muggle Borns."

Her lower lip trembled as she looked up to him her eyes straining from the welling up of tears in them, struggling not to release the pool of water. He reached up to her face and traced around her lips, ceasing the trembling and brushed away the forming tears.

"Granger; Potter will solve everything. He has ideas, knows things; amazing luck and is destined to defeat the Dark Lord." Was all Draco offered her. It was all he could. Hermione looked down, frustrated she couldn't decode what inner message there was.

There wasn't one.

"Draco." Hermione sighed as he closed his eyes and inched away from her as she used his first name.

"Everything will be fine. He loves you," Draco's eyes were still closed, but his voice was strained; unused to masking this type of emotion and failing to do so with lack of practice.

"Malfoy; you will solve everything. You have ideas, you know things… you are my hero." Hermione tried to make him understand.

"He loves you." Draco reminded, opening his eyes to search hers,

"I lov-"

It was the only way Draco could stop her uttering the three words of his damnation. The three words that would destroy his every resolve and rebuild everything he believed in. It was the only way.

He kissed her.

---

I gave you wanted, now your part of the deal... (REVIEW!!!!)

That's how bribes work!!!


	11. Plans

Hey! Glad you liked!

Nothing to really comment on, except thank you all so much for reviewing!! Xoxox!!!

---

Help was coming from the inside. That's all that could explain it. Owls were still allowed, but in no instances were the staff able to stop mail from arriving.

Help was coming from the inside.

How? _No one knows._ Why? _No one knows. _Where? _No one knows. _Who? _No one knows. _To whom?

… _Voldemort._

All there was were speculations. How was You Know Who or this traitor getting wizards out of the school? Why were they doing this? Where are they being taken? Who's helping them?

A silent and accusative voice rang in everyone's head as they tried to answer these questions: _Malfoy._

Malfoy was talented and a seventh year and getting the best of most his teachers. His father was in Azkaban and revenge against Muggles was just what he would do. Malfoy has dozens of places to confine people in. Malfoy must be helping You Know Who.

The Ravenclaws speculated, linking ideas and events together. Malfoy's were the most traditional and proud of their ways.

Gryffindors knew, just by their prejudices against the blonde boy. Malfoy was the Slytherin deity; none of _them _were disappearing; Malfoy must be protecting them.

Hufflepuffs tried not to judge, but all came to the same conclusion. Slytherins were bad.

The Slytherins? They couldn't care less who was doing it; they were safe for the time being and this so-called villain was doing a terrific job. Must congratulate Draco.

---

"This is ridiculous! Do you know what they say about you?!? It's…" Harry couldn't find the word. Hermione was listening to anything and everything but this conversation. Definitely not eavesdropping.

"Gossip." Malfoy finished for him. "Calm down, Potter. It's not as if they can prove anything. I am, after all, the perfect suspect for such crime."

"You look flattered." Harry said in disgust.

"That's because I am." Draco explained while batting his eyelashes to an extent that made Harry fairly uncomfortable.

"You're not…" Harry had to ask.

"Of course not!" Draco answered in outraged. "You think I would help the likes of _them?_"

"We need to do something!" Harry whined earning a strict look from Ginny.

"Well then, oh wise one; what do you suggest we do?" Draco muttered.

Harry stayed silent.

"Perhaps the ladies would have any ideas?" Draco courteously asked. "Or perhaps I shall give you a further five minutes to let the news we've told you sink in even further."

"Ron?" Ginny asked, not quite able to for a coherent sentence.

"Weasel's not part of this; the only reason I stand you any more than him is The Boy Who Lived here chose you as his lucky partner." Draco spat out bluntly.

"Why am I here then?" Hermione asked coyly, looking at him in a very un-Gryffindor-like way.

Just like that they were all right with each other again. Why couldn't Hermione and Malfoy be… normal? Harry had not idea what had happened between them to cause this outburst of sassiness and had no idea whether to be thankful or not.

"Because you, you sassy witch, are blessed – nay, gifted! – with the honor of being my partner." Draco replied haughtily, returning her gaze. Harry felt even more uncomfortable as the three around him laughed joyously and he was standing their releasing nervous chuckles.

"And me?" Harry changed the subject.

"You are Wonder Boy." Draco explained. "We need someone remarkably stupid and…" Draco couldn't find the word.

"Reliable?" Harry filled in. Typical of Draco to have one of the widest vocabulary he'd seen, second only to Hermione, and not know any synonyms for loyal. Probably why he's second against Hermione.

"Yeah right, Potter." Draco grimaced. "Like that's actually a word."

Hermione and Ginny's eyes bulged. After blinking several times both the girls found either the floor tiles or curtain patterns immensely interesting, too interesting to possible correct Draco; leaving Harry to the task.

"No, Malfoy." Harry sighed at the look of skepticism on Malfoy's face. "Forget it. Let's start planning or something."

Draco scoffed.

"That coming from you Potter, I don't know whether to clap or frown." Draco frowned openly, suggesting otherwise. Hermione laughed slightly too much at this.

"Get serious, Malfoy." Ginny commanded. Draco arched an eyebrow towards her, but showed no further actions that he heard her or even acknowledged her existence.

"I'm sure all you have heard of charms to ward Mudbloods away from certain estates and places." Draco began. The air shifted subtly and his voice transformed into a more serious tone.

"Like in someone's manor?" Ginny provoked. Draco still showed no sign he heard her.

"The Deatheaters could be using a similar charm, only distorted slightly to kidnap." Draco went on. Hermione held her breath; but Harry was sure he was the only one who noticed.

"But what about-" Hermione interrupted.

"Yes. Patience." Draco silenced. "The list could've been duplicated and they could be going by that also. We're hoping it's the latter method."

"Do you have a copy of it still with you?" Hermione asked.

"Yes."

"But you said it was taken care of!" Harry cried in outburst.

"It is, only I can reach it this way, Potter. Or a Malfoy with an identical bloodline to me; Father. He's currently locked up, so even a polyjuiced clone of me or him won't work; it's taken care of." Draco explained lazily. "In fact, I must really be going."

As they were about to object, Draco continued unfazed.

"Meet me in my room at midnight. We'll carry on this discussion from then." Draco announced. Hermione followed him, whispering something in his ear; something about it suggested they were slightly more intimate than just partners.

As soon as they were gone, Ginny realized something.

"We don't have a clue where his room is."

"Hermione does." Harry answered, grimacing.

---

"I see you got here in one piece." Draco offered as they entered his room. The eerie glow coming off the large dome on the ceiling was enough to make Ginny nervous.

"You changed the place!" Hermione squealed with delight, eyeing the differences, giddy with excitement that she was finally invited back here. Harry and Ginny were only a setback.

The lighting, for one, was definitely different. The carpet was now lined with velvet and many littel changes adorned the room. Including a moving picture that caught her eye and made her heart swell and her breath uneven.

"Aren't the heads supposed to share dorms?" Ginny asked. "Where did you disappear to all these times, leaving the Gryffindor commons at night?"

"I like to stay with my Slytherins. My people need me." Draco answered simply.

"I got the whole place to myself." Hermione revealed grinning.

"What?!? I put charms on my private bedroom." Malfoy seemed to emphasize private. "There are some things in there you are not meant to see. It could steal a girl, much less a Gryffindor's, innocence!" Draco declared in outrage.

"It's not like you're using it!" Hermione answered indignantly.

They were squabbling already. As if nothing was wrong.

"Shut up." Ginny muttered, annoyed.

Draco glanced at her, astonished.

"You bought her here?" He pointed at Ginny as if she was some vile insect while talking to Harry.

"She's my partner." Harry stated.

"I'm supposed to care? It's after hours. Raid the girls' dormitories in you own time, Potter."

"Malfoy." Harry growled.

"Calm down." Draco eased.

"The list…" Hermione reminded, seating herself on his bed. Harry stared at her and Hermione just blushed. Ginny noticed this and looked away and counted to ten.

"Yes." He revealed the parchment. "Let's see…" he seated himself beside Hermione and she looked over his shoulder. Harry gulped and Ginny decided to count to 20.

"Look; there!" Hermione pointed to a section on the parchment, inching even closer to Malfoy. Harry breathed in deeply, forcing himself not to close his eyes and run away. Ginny was forced to do the same. "Matthew Davis, Richard Peeling, Hope Dawnings and… Hermione Granger."

---

Can you guess what they're planning on doing? Hmmm? It's fairly easy, I left some clues and hints!!!


	12. Dawnings, Peeling, Davis and Granger

Hmmm… mind if I ask you 2 do that marking the chappie out 100 again?

Um… your guesses were fairly vague, but I'm sure you got it! So, see for yourself!

OMG!!! **Duarch Luord, **u r AMAZING!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you and Thank you for your v fine review.

---

"What I don't get is how the list is ordered." Hermione brought up.

"You'd thing it was alphabetical or something, but… no!" Ginny joined in.

Draco suppressed a sigh and Harry just rolled his eyes as the girls continued their nervous chattering.

"Two Ravenclaws, a Hufflepuff… and a Gryffindor." Ginny looked at three cauldrons.

"The next four people on the list." Hermione followed her gaze.

"Got their hair!" Draco held up three strands of hair and plucked one from Hermione's head.

"What are you doing?!?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Well, I suppose we _could've _left you out and not make you take a polyjuice. But then I decided; no." Draco told her.

Hermione looked accusingly at Harry. Harry shrugged and looked quizzically at Malfoy.

"I…don't…like…polyjuice…potions." Hermione revealed to Draco trough gritted teeth.

"Why?" Draco asked out of simple curiosity. When Hermione refuses to ask, he dangled her strand of hair in front of her as bait.

"I've had a bad experience with them." Hermione pouted to show her annoyance.

"Is that all?" Draco pretended to laugh. "I had to be him!" Draco implied Harry. Draco got another container out of nowhere and quickly made another batch of polyjuice potions. "I win."

Quickly, he dropped the four strands randomly into the four potions; too quick to see which one was Hermione. Draco grinned impishly at Hermione with wide-eyed innocence.

"Now, pick your person. Merlin this is going to be fun!" Draco declared. The three Gryffindors looked back at him dubiously.

"I pick this one." Draco grabbed one when no one moved. "We need to move quickly if this is going to work. Find the victim and lock them in a cupboard or something and meet at my room in half an hour."

Harry was holding his potion and made to drink it.

"What the devil are you doing, Potter?" Draco asked. "What would happen if Merlin-knows-who sees you as them?"

---

Harry was on the prowl.

_Richard Peeling. _

"Harry!" Ron called out.

_No!_

"Harry!" Ron called out even louder. As Harry continued on, Ron was sure Harry had heard him.

"Ginny!" Harry muttered, seeing her search for her victim. "Do you know who Richard Peeling is?"

"Ginny!" Ron called out.

"No, sorry Harry." She ignored Ron. "Hope Dawnings?"

"Sorry." Harry replied.

---

"Hermione!" Ginny, now Hope Dawnings, entered Malfoy's room and was breathless and uneasy about his absence. Dawnings had similar height to her, despite being a fifth year Hufflepuff, and had not a single freckle and envious clear pale skin.

"Gina!" Hermione greeted back, the smile plastered on her face made Ginny uncomfortable.

"So, Malfoy's room huh? Bet you've been here before!" Ginny joked and glanced at her coyly, ignoring the uncharacteristic behavior of Hermione. And calling her Gina; maybe she's trying out nicknames?

"Sure have."

"What's he like?" Ginny couldn't help ask, knowing that he was still the slimy and unlovable git she saw in her first year. No matter what Hermione says.

"Brilliant. Absolutely! Intelligent, probably more so than me; handsome in many ways. Wit as sharp as a blade I don't mind getting cut with. Looks, charm, intellect and money. What more could you want?" Hermione beamed.

"Sounds great." Ginny comment; Hermione must've been really taken by him. "Does he love you?"

Hermione stared dumbly at her.

"Does Harry love you?" Hermione changed the subject and the question sliced through Ginny like a blade.

"We both know the answer to that. How can he. He looks at you all the time, hawks eerily over Malfoy. What's left for me? Don't worry, I remember. Hope." Ginny chanted,

Hermione scoffed.

"Hope?" She asked, "Do you know that's a name. Yours to be more exact. That's all it is. Now, stop leaking and dry them peepers. Right; now. You can't let Potter do or decide anything by himself, the poor boy would simply overload. Poor boy. Go get him. Don't wait and _hope. _Just go get him. Woo him, impress him; distract him and do… whatever!" Hermione was really getting into her speech.

"B-But." The confused Ginny stuttered,

"No buts. I don't want him." Hermione enforced.

---

As 'Richard Peeling', a lanky fourth year Ravenclaw with a light dusting of freckles you could only see from up close, entered the serpent's nest he watched Hermione laze on the bed with a very familiar expression on his – ahem, _her _- face. Shaking his autumn colored hair as he strode through, Harry – a.k.a Peeling – couldn't get enough of the feeling of the long – ish hair that reached his ears.

"Potter." Hermione greeted, her voice now had a cold edge to it, as if sharpened.

"Malfoy." Richard greeted back, stumbling as he tried to get over the awkwardness of uttering such thing to Hermione. And the fact that he was an overgrown and the most un-lean person Harry had ever seen.

Malfoy smiled, lighting Hermione's face up in a familiar way Harry recognized, smirked and the person he knew for seven years vanished.

"You can tell." Malfoy stated approvingly. "Your little pet is in my bathroom." Harry's eyes bulged and Malfoy smirked at the effect of his chosen words. "She thought I was Granger and was checking out my place. Actually admitted strange and creepy things about The Boy Who Lived."

"They're not true!" Harry tried to deny,

"Right, Potter." Draco saw Harry twitch and knew he was lying and wondered what he was hiding. Must go talk to Gina and find out the scandal. "So, tell me how you got rid of the Ravenclaw?"

"Used a sleeping charm on him and locked him in a closet." Harry stated calmly.

Draco whistled approvingly.

"He's actually in our year!" Harry admitted. "I don't know him, though, and it turns out he was Eric what's-his-name's partner."

"Don't like the guy; shady background and appearing out of the blue just as the trouble begins." Draco analyzed.

"Weren't you going to go to Durmstrang yourself?" Harry asked, knowing exactly whom he was talking about. "But your right anyway, I sort of noticed it myself. I wonder if he's behind all this."

"We'll soon find out." Draco muttered.

---

Mathew Davis skittered into Malfoy's room and saw Richard Peeling talking to Hermione Granger and Hope Dawnings appearing out of Draco's bathroom. She – he – was the last person to polyjuice herself.

"Hermione!" Ginny called out, but was talking to the one lazing on Malfoy's bed. She was stretched out so cat-like with such superior elegance that the real Hermione noticed immediately who the imposter was.

"Yes?" Mathew Davis – our gender confused Hermione – replied.

Ginny stared confused at Hermione and Malfoy only sweetly smiled at her, a smile with and iced edge.

"Malfoy." Ginny stated bluntly to the Slytherin on his bed as everything snapped together and groaned inwardly.

Blushing bright red as Malfoy fluttered Hermione's eyelashes with such a good impression of innocence, Ginny noticed Harry suppressing chuckles.

"Richard Peeling." Harry introduced himself,

"Hope Dawnings." Ginny followed in suit, glad of the change of topic,

"Hermione Granger." Malfoy seemed to purr,

"Mathew Davis." Hermione sulkily added.

They didn't know how long they analyzed each other in silence, Hermione most of all.

"Let's hope this works."

---

Do you know what they plan on doing, now?

(remember, out of 100!)


	13. It was all going so well

I am sooo sorry I haven't updated in, like, forever! Won't bother you with further pleas and excuses… enjoy!

-

Draco, or should we say Hermione, was whistling down the corridor. He noticed how some people smiled at him. At Hermione. Some even came up strangely and greeted him. Of course, having no idea who they were; he greeted the poor sods back. He enjoyed the friendly life for all of what seemed like an unrelenting hour – not at all fazed he was now a girl.

Ginny, our undercover Hope Dawnings, flicked back her hair and laughed along with some fifth year Hufflepuffs. All the work in class had been a breeze; she had passed it all with flying colours last year and repeating some of it just slid off her back.

Harry, the ever so lanky – possibly more so now – Richard Peeling, tripped over every rising in the ground and whenever humanly possible he lost control of his limbs and tripped over. No one seemed shocked or fazed that the boy would do this and carried on with their everyday lives. As if it was perfectly normal for him to do so; as if he didn't matter. He missed being Harry. He missed being lean and muscles, swift and stealth; recognised and acknowledge. He missed being Harry Potter.

Hermione, a.k.a. Mathew Davis, was tagging behind along Eric trying to bring as little attention to herself as possible. It was awkward. She was some random _guy. _Maybe it was even worse than being an animal. She was a _guy._

"So what do you think of the disappearances." Hermione tried to strike conversation, inching away from Eric for some reason.

Eric shrugged. As if he didn't seem to care, as if it didn't affect him. Which was probably right; it didn't affect him, so he didn't care.

"You're chatty today." He remarked at Hermione as she opened her mouth to fill in the lapsing silence.

"Are-" She stopped mid sentence and he only sighed; not caring.

"I wonder where that Gryffindor is…" Eric pondered aloud.

Hermione's eyes bulged slightly, making Mathew Davis' look like a dieing fish. Problem number 11 they hadn't thought of; people were sure to notice their presence gone, if only just Harry's.

"Harry's probably with Draco." Hermione answered.

"Potter and Malfoy? I wasn't asking about them; seriously, you grow denser by the second; I was asking about Hermione."

_Potter? _No one calls Harry, Potter. Besides Draco and the Slytherins.

Her nerves were strained; that's why she was so jumpy. The waves of anxiety were making her turn and inspect everyone, including her own partner; suspecting them of... of…

She didn't dare think it.

"Where are we going? We have charms now." Hermione stated bluntly and shortly. Eric raised an eyebrow as if uttering that had been uncharacteristic of Mathew. Was it?

"To the Quidditch field." Eric answered absently.

"Why?" She questioned before she could stop herself. "Quidditch season hasn't even begun yet."

The eyebrow was raised once again.

-

"Hope!" Someone called out to Ginny. She flicked back her hair and faced her to show she was listening. She loved the jet black hair that seemed to capture everyone in the room.

"Didn't you say you had to go to the Quidditch field now?"

"I did?" Ginny asked.

"Some seventh year guy…." She elaborated.

Ginny wasn't catching on.

"It's not Quidditch season." She stated dumbly.

Her friend sighed. _Then _it – ironically – dawned on her.

_Aww… how cute. _She couldn't help thinking; _little fifth years going on a date. _No matter that she was a 5th year last year and she was anything but cute in her own eyes.

"Oh. Right." Ginny nodded.

"I'm guessing you don't want me to come with you."

Ginny looked up questioningly. We had to stay in partners. It was fine if Ginny was kidnapped, but her friend needed protection.

"So I'm going to tag along with Ella and Gen once we send you off to the field."

Good thinking.

-

"_Go get him,_

_Get him,_

_Get… him." _

A voice chanted, a voice so… familiar. Harry couldn't place it. It was familiar but then… new.

No-one noticed Richard Peeling looking outrageously around. No one noticed Richard Peeling.

Should he follow the voice? No one would notice him gone. What if he was kidnapped?

It was the point, wasn't it?

Yes.

Follow the voice.

Only, it seemed he didn't need to. The voice came to him.

-

He'd never tell Hermione about this. Never. But something kept telling him that it would be a hell of a lot of fun if he got laid as a girl.

_I wonder where Hermione is._

An idea struck him. He was last on the list. Well, Hermione was… and he was Hermione. What if the sodding Gryffindors got kidnapped and left without him? What in the sodding world would they do without him? What would he sodding do without Wonder Boy to back him up? Where was Harry Sodding Potter and his merry sodding men?

As he was contemplating two very important ideas – getting laid by some sad loser, maybe whoever the hell Eric von-what's-his-name partner was, before the potion wore off… and then there was the whole getting kidnapped thing, he crashed into the weaselette. Of course, it wasn't _really _Gina – or was it Genieve? – he knew there was a galleonless, fire-haired witch underneath the manicured and absolute fabulous outer shell.

"Malfoy." She stated, not with the contempt he was ever so used – yet not without, either.

"You." He didn't bother greeting her. "Where's Hermione. I need to get kidnapped."

Ginny raised her eyebrow – Hope Dawning's perfectly plucked eyebrows – that stirred some sort of lust inside of him, which he suppressed immediately.

"I'm going on a date." She announced, three foolish Hufflepuffs giggled behind her.

_Hufflepuffs… Ugh! _Poor chaste absurd beings, they had no idea what they were missing.

"That's all great and dandy; I'm sure this would be a valuable first experience for you sad and deprived Gry- …. Ravenclaws…" He trailed off. Something about the way Ginny – Hope, whatever – looked at him made him immediately stop. The Hufflepuff was breathtaking enough to make a man go mad.

She turned to face her friends, doing so she flicked back her luxurious hair that all but winded Draco.

"I'm going with him, so you can all go now." Ginny announced sadly. "Her." She corrected herself.

She flicked her again. She looked at him again. His breathe was caught in his throat, but he determined not to show it, and walked alongside her not saying anything.

She was different from everyone. He lusted after her, as would anyone with balls. He wanted to shag her right then and there. Even if he didn't quite have the right… equipment to do so right then and there, it didn't stop him from wanting it.

But then she was like everyone else. Like Pansy, like Anna, like Hermione. He just wanted to use her and that was it. His breathe caught in his throat as the chase for her began. Her tongue down his throat as the chase ended. They were all different, but in the end – where it matters – to him they were all the same. He just used them, he wanted them. He didn't care about them, he didn't need them.

Hope, whatever her last name was, was just like Pansy, just like Anna. Just like Hermione? No. Not like Hermione. He didn't want her like he wanted Hermione.

_Oh, Merlin._

"…oh, Merlin. You're not even listening to me, are you?" Her mouth was still slightly open, forming a little 'O' shape. "Fine. Continue to deny my existence." She snapped Draco out of his musing just as they were about to enter the Quidditch pitch.

Her mouth was still in an 'O' shape, but started to form a slight pout. Her mouth…

_Her mouth…_

He found himself only able to think about… her mouth.

Looking at them with familiar intensity. It was always this way. He couldn't' fight it. It wasn't as if anyone would see. He wouldn't stop thinking about it if he didn't do it. But he had to fight.

But he couldn't.

He leaned forward and kissed her. Not an intimate and virtuous kiss, but a hungry and greedy full-on pash.

Caught off guard, Ginny was slammed against the wall. Her eyes were closed, not seeing that it was Hermione's tongue. Her mind was… working, knowing it was the sadist she hated for all these years behind each flick of the alien tongue. She let out an involuntary moan.

_Such black hair. _

Draco found himself thinking about her hair. He had to touch it. He just… had… to…

His fingers combed through her hair, it tumbled around him and he heard her moan. He felt her hard breathing, her chest rising and falling in time with his own. It only made him want her more. But they more he wanted her, the more he didn't.

The more he had to stop.

Ginny couldn't help herself. She found herself responding. She could tell – somehow sense – that he wanted her, but needed to stop just as much as she needed to. She found his hands caressing her, his mouth biting her. Then she would find that the mouth would be so giving, the hands would be so demanding. It was a chain of pain and pleasure; one she desperately wanted to….

…she desperately wanted to…

…. desperately wanted to…

…wanted to…

…to…

She couldn't think.

They were moving; he was bringing her to the Quidditch stadium. What was going? He needed to stop.

They were in the stadium; no-one could be there. No one would be there.

-

Hermione stared outraged as… as… Hope Dawnings, Ginny, was intimately making out with Hermione Granger, Draco.

_WHAT?_

_This can't be happening._

Eric's eyes bulged too, thanking his lucky stars for the incredible luck of witnessing some girl on girl action.

_WHAT?_

Hermione hadn't gotten hold of what was happening until the scene before her came to a halt, only to realise she screamed aloud.

Both Ginny and Draco looked at her with horror. This couldn't be happening.

_Draco anted Ginny. Draco wanted Hope Dawnings. Draco…_

_Ginny wanted Draco. Ginny wanted… _

Everything was going so well.

Eric looked surprised at Draco – wondering how such a nice girl like Hermione could be… could be… - then he was mesmerised by Hope.

Her tumbling black hair. Her clear skin and perfect proportioned body. A stirring in his groin made him breathe harder. Hermione noticed this.

Eric wanted her.

Draco wanted her.

-

Another chappie finally up! Just had to create more drama for you all! (Remember outta 100)

Kinda confusing, but all questions will be answered next chappie (or mayb a few chappies after it)


	14. Fears

How could I just leave you hanging there? _So _sorry that everything's taking forever. I'm just getting lazy; reluctant to write a new chappie in vain hope of getting more reviews….

Mixed emotions concerning the previous chappie… makes me think… hmmm… I definitely MUST thank **Duarch Luord**for your awesome awesome review and **MissDitzy**as well for your wicked wicked review!

* * *

The Quidditch field.

Hermione shouting at Draco and Ginny. (or Richard shouting at Hermione and Hope)

Eric just standing there confused, shuffling slightly. (being the useless sod he is)

Harry listened in confusion; _what were they doing here? It's not sodding Quidditch season!_

He recognised Hermione's words.

_( - "What do you two think you're doing?"_

"_Say something, talking to me!"_

"_Don't look away like that!" - )_

He realised the only people she could be speaking to like that were the people close to her; _Ginny and Draco. _

And Ron?

Eric was with Hermione, understandably as they were partners. Why was he so silent? What was Hermione so angry? Why wasn't Malfoy quipping back at her with his sarcastic remarks? Why wasn't Ginny opinionatedly retorting as well?

He could almost see them. Harry pondered for a while.

And then there was also the whole being bound up, not seeing anything subject.

Everything was black. A weird smooth yet cold texture enveloped him, like coils; like giant fingers.

The only difference was that in a few seconds, Harry would lose consciousness; along with everyone else occupying the stadium. (Hermione, Draco, Ginny and Eric)

* * *

"… _I am most displeased."_

"_SSsssorry, Masster."_

"_When I said four I did _not_ mean 5!"_

"_The other one wass jusst there…"_

"_Are you questioning me?"_

"_No, Masster."_

Harry heard a pair of feet marched away, its noise slowly dieing; his breathe slowly returning to normal. Harry found that he could open his eyes and see again; no longer bound and blind-folded.

It wasn't much; it seemed he was in a cell-like room made of some sort of metal. Hermione lay on the far left, followed by Draco, then Ginny, then him.

Hermione's head was rested on Draco's chest, as Ginny's was rested on his.

Getting up, he moved Ginny's head so she could sleep further without holding him down; he also removed Hermione's head away from Draco as the sight still bothered him slightly. There was nothing he could do about their hands being intertwined, so he left them.

There were no windows, a gigantic bed, an antique looking closet in the corner and surprisingly no door. The walls seemed to reject being part of the room and Harry envisioned them trying to get away by growing taller and taller. The light had come from a luminous ball overheard, perching where the walls met unwillingly with the ceiling.

Harry squinted and raised his eyes upwards, the ball being too bright, he was unable to make out just what the resplendent ball of light was. If it really was something other than a ball.

Judging from the noises his fellow capturees were making and the look on their knocked out faces, they were about to transform back to their regular selves.

"Harry?" Hermione uttered as her eyes fluttered open.

"Potter." Draco grimaced, mere seconds behind Hermione.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked, snatching her hand away from Draco's. A looked of pure disgust filled her eyes as she looked over at Draco.

"How did we get here?" Draco asked, not moving.

Harry stared dumbly at the two questioning him at the ground.

How the buggering hell would he know?

"Don't know." Harry partially voiced his thoughts.

"There's no door." Hermione stated. Memories of what had happened previously rushed back to her. She glared accusingly at Draco and got up quickly away from him and Ginny.

"_Deletrius!"_ Draco tried, whipping out his wand and shouting the spell in one graceful movement.

Nothing happened, and yet no-one was really shocked either. It was so typical that they would be locked in some sort of cage that didn't allow magic.

Draco looked around, analysing his surroundings. Harry was sure Draco didn't even touch her, Ginny stirred.

"Harry?" Ginny called out uncertainly as she saw him. "What are we doing here?" She pushed herself up, looking around. She saw Draco not looking at her. She saw Hermione not looking at her. "What's going on?"

"You tell me." Hermione jeered heatedly.

_What was that about? _Harry thought, confused.

Draco walked over slowly to the cupboard that lay suspiciously in the corner. He decided to open it.

Curiosity killed the cat.

Draco stepped back, as something jumped out at him, and pulled out his wand in instinct. In seconds it formed into a shape that made everyone but Draco gasp.

Draco was looking at a mirror of himself, floating inches above the floor. They were wearing the same clothes, the Malfoy signet ring, sleeves rolled up; their faces were mirrors of each other.

But it wasn't really Draco.

On it's left arm, there was a Dark mark; in his eyes an even colder gleam that had never been there before; on his face was an expression no one in the had seen on his face in a long time.

It's whole stance – from the hair to the way it stood – suggested that it wasn't like Draco at all. That it could and would inflict real damage at anyone and everyone. That it wouldn't give way to women and children; that it simply didn't care.

It had a familiar dominating aurora, only slightly deferring from Draco's. A familiar-ness that screamed out a name in Draco's head; _Lucius Malfoy._

"_Riddikulus!" _Draco shouted, his wand held threateningly in front of him.

Nothing happened. Magic was restricted in the cell. It was when Draco showed a hint of emotion in his placid and controlled eyes; was it merely uncertainty, or fear? In the same time, as if sensing it, the thing – presumably a boggart – smiled a smile the real Draco would've only smiled if he had become his father. If Hermione, Harry and even that Merlin-forsaken-Weasley hadn't intervened in his life.

Looking at it, Draco wondered if he should feel grateful.

The three Gryffindors had just decided to come in and turn everything upside down. All his beliefs, morals, everything he was taught and the very laws of his existence. Questioning what he had become; did that make him exactly like the thing standing in front of him? Was his greatest fear himself?

He could feel his eyes enlarging, his legs stepping backwards; his body had gone on autopilot and he had no idea how to switch back. Utmost terror consumed him as the thing came closer and closer, as if the slightest contact would merge the two. Sweat beads formed on his face as –

Harry ran up to Draco and tackled him full on, clothes-lining him; putting Harry in the path between Draco and the Boggart.

Standing behind Harry, Draco finally regained control of himself and rolled his eyes at the 'Demetor' before him, in front of Harry. It didn't affect him the slightest, but Harry on the other hand…

Harry had thought he had gotten over it, that the fear was non-existent by now. That it wouldn't do this to him; not again.

Hermione and Ginny saw it happen, they looked at each other for a second and nodded at each other. No matter how much she absolutely detested and disappointed and angry and etc, etc, Hermione had to help, it was in her nature.

Draco and Ginny would pay, later.

It was all rather pathetic, really; if they get the time to ponder it later. They covered this 3-4 years ago in class; and yet there they were facing what would seem like all their greatest fears rolled jam-pack into one. As no magic could be used against it, how else were they supposed to solve this, how else were they supposed to shrug it away?

Forming a line around the boggart, so it wouldn't know which to choose, or what fear to play on; it turned into the most unlikely thing.

Draco, but not really Draco – Draco's fear –; wearing a Dementor's cape/robe – Harry's fear –; standing level with all four of them some hundred kilometres above the ground – Hermione's fear of heights – looking at Harry, Hermione and Draco, totally ignoring and forgetting Ginny – Ginny's greatest fear.

Wasn't the boggart supposed to mutate all their fears together in some _funny _way? Not some sadistic type of torture none of them seemed to break free from?

* * *

OOooOOoooo… how are they gonna get out of this one? Not to mention the whole so very confusing thingy with Ginny and Malfoy. Hmmm?

Venture a guess and don't forget to rate the chappie outta 100!


	15. Wormtail

FOR ALL THAT ARE CONFUSED: There is actually a purpose to all that has been going on…. Mostly. I needed Draco on the Quidditch field, so I just created some more drama for you in the process, lol.

The combined fears thing? Well, I just made it so the boggart fed on the fear it was nearest to. So… if the were all equal length – ed from the boggart (i.e. all standing say… 1 m away from it) the boggart would feed off all their fears, no?

* * *

The boggart stared at Draco, Harry and Hermione; Ginny feeling slightly relieved, yet annoyed at the same time, stood in the background.

What were they going to do?

It seemed all four of them were frozen.

Merely inches from the cupboard, a slim vertically challenged door opened. I hand stuck through it with a plate of food.

The image of the boggart wavered, turning into a sunset.

The hand was removed.

Draco's image in all his dementor might standing very high above ground returned.

Another hand was stuck in, so was another plate. Two plates lay side by side, carefully placed there for the inhabitants of the cell.

The boggart turned into a sunset again.

The hand was removed.

"Oh; _come on!" _Draco muttered. Seeing the sunset shift back to an image of himself.

The hand stuck in another plate of food, yet to be analysed.

"Someone's scared of a _sunset?" _Draco questioned, outraged. Hermione and Harry started giggling, soon followed by Ginny.

The hand was removed.

The boggart seemed fazed by the laughing of the immature and ever-so-easily amused Gryffindors, and concentrated on Draco's fear.

The hand inserted itself to deliver yet another plate of food, what would seem like the forth and last time, as there were only 4 of them in the room. And there was yet another sunset.

So the Gryffindors laughed on.

Draco, trying so hard to laugh, was failing miserably. They were trapped god knows where with no magic and no one could save them. How could he? Nothing could've possibly lightened his mood.

The hand was removed.

The boggart returned to feed off Draco's fear, again.

"C'mon Malfoy." Harry managed between what he would call laughing (the rest of the world believes the term is Hyperventilating) "Just… laugh."

"I can't, Potter." He replied through gritted teeth, trying to find some way of distracting himself away from his fears.

"Sure you can: think of something amusing!" Hermione encouraged.

"…"

"I'm scared of _heights, _isn't that… funny?" Hermione laughed even harder.

"I'm scared of dementors!" Harry joined her.

Ginny sighed.

"I'm scared of being ignored." She added with a grimace, also cracking up to something Draco completely missed.

Draco started to grin. He even let out a chuckle.

"You…what?" Draco asked, "_Ignored? _Your greatest fear? By Merlin, Weasley! That is _pathetic._" Laughing.

Overwhelmed by the laughter, the boggart started backing away. No one made any move to stop it, nor did they do anything for that matter but laugh dauntingly.

Until the boggart was touching the cupboard from which it came did Draco spring on it, trapping it back inside.

"Let me get this straight." Draco said, gasping between laughter.

"Yes; I am scared of being ignored. Shut it, Malfoy." Ginny confirmed icily, not wanting to take anymore ridicule.

Hermione froze at the attention Draco paid to Ginny. Harry, feeling the tension, sought to distract.

"Where's Eric?" Harry questioned, a little too loud.

"What?" Hermione asked absently, not taking her eyes off Draco pointing at Ginny, laughing indecently and Ginny giving death glares at him; the two had clearly forgotten the situation they were in at the moment.

"He was at the Quidditch pitch before we all blacked out." Ginny agreed, remembering what had occurred, and putting as much space between her and Malfoy as she could.

"And yet he isn't here." Draco agreed, unfazed and not caring that both the females in the room seem to dislike him very much.

"He could be the one behind this." Harry conspired.

"Well done." Draco clapped; congratulating Harry for stating the obvious.

"When I woke up before you all I heard some people talking, I'm not sure when; but they said that whatever… whoever bought us here was only supposed to bring four people." Harry ignored Malfoy's comment. "And the voice wasn't Eric's"

"So… the insider who's been helping everyone was _Eric?_" Ginny asked.

"It all makes sense; all the trouble started when he arrived in the beginning of the year, he's a dark wizard from Durmstrang…"

"But _why?_" Harry asked.

"We don't know." Draco answered slowly. "But we need to know, where are we and how do we get out without magic."

"It's got to be impossible." Hermione analysed. "But I have an idea."

"So do I." Harry and Draco's voice rand out in perfect timing.

Harry got out his bottle containing his Polyjuice potion and took it. Taking it as their cue, the other three followed in suit.

* * *

"…it might just work." Draco congratulated Harry. Hermione and Ginny nodded approvingly.

"Now, what about your idea?" Harry inquired of Draco.

Before Draco could share, their was a subtle noise all four picked up on. An opening the size of a normal door, where the food had been inserted, quickly appeared and Wormtail stepped through.

"Didn't touch the meal?" He laughed to himself in sad, sad way. "Hey! What are you doing here?" He pointed at Harry, immediately recognising him, scanning the rest of them.

"Wormtail." Draco addressed.

Wormtail took a step back.

"_Impedimenta!" _Draco's voice rang out, immobilising Wormtail.

"Malfoy." Was all Wormtail could manage through the spell.

Harry's jaw almost dropped to the ground.

"How'd you know?" Harry asked. "We could've…"

"I didn't." Draco assured, stepping towards the door; motioning the three to follow. Ginny smiled weakly at Hermione.

"Hurry up, before the-" Draco called out to Harry as he turned around.

His eyes widened in shock, there was no-one… _nothing _there.

* * *

Lol. Cliffie for you to review, lol. 


	16. How they all got out

I'm BAAACK! A thousand apologies for disappearing for what seems to be forever! The new Harry Potter book sure puts me back on track!

Thank you for all you reviewers … this ones for you!

* * *

_Okay… _Draco thought to himself. _Stunning Wormtail was a _brilliant_ idea, yes. _He was probably the only one who came up with the idea that when there was an opening to the cage, like when Wormtail stepped through, it must've offset the charm around the room that disabled all magic use. Draco shrugged, wondering why Hermione didn't think of it. 

_But why did the opening close up like that? _How was he supposed to open the doorway again? _WHERE THE HELL WAS POTTER?_

Deep breaths.

He looked at his hands and, as he spun around to look at the wall again, he saw the blonde hair that confirmed the Polyjuice potion had worn out. _Damn._

Draco clutched his fist and, in a feasible attempt to somehow get to the other side, he banged them against the solid wall. Nope; no luck. Maybe they'll figure out someway to get out; they could always torture Wormtail. But then, again, Gryffindors? Torture? It was a likely bet that they would stay in there for a long time.

* * *

"Wh-What happened?" Ginny almost shouted. Her nerves were at the edge of snapping. 

"WHERE'S MALFOY?" Harry roared, his wand pointing threateningly at Wormtail, only to realise that Wormtail was immobile. Standing there for all of five seconds before he readily admitted to himself that his opponent was motionless, Harry inched closer and unthinkingly prodded Wormtail with his wand.

Hermione watched this and absently wondered what Harry hoped to achieve by it when it all suddenly clicked. (Not why Harry was jabbing Wormtail with his wand, mind you, but rather what on earth had happened to Draco…)

"Oooh," Hermione groaned, whacking herself on the head for not coming up with the idea herself, "When Wormtail came into the room, it must've counterbalance the charm put on the room!" She explained to Harry and Ginny. "I wonder why it closed up all of a sudden…"

"Do you think Malfoy would find a way to get us out?" Ginny asked.

"Probably not." Harry admitted. "I'd guess he'd try, but I'm guessing he'd go off on his own before long."

Hermione nodded in agreement, it sounds awfully like Dra – Malfoy. "And the charm around this room has already been restored!" Hermione cursed her slowness. "Malfoy's going to have to miraculously get us out of here! We're sitting ducks!"

"No; we'll wait, but if someone other than Malfoy decides to visit us, we'll be ready." Harry drew his wand.

Ginny sat in the corner, watching all this, wondering to herself why they didn't take away their wands. Everyone knew, without their wands all wizards were powerless.

* * *

Draco looked around the room he unbelievably entered; it was well lit thanks to the wide windows that graced two of the walls opposite each other. Making no noise, Draco crossed from the middle of the wall to gaze out the window. He ran his hand across the walls, the grey stone bricks, unable to be heated by the suns powerful rays, felt cold against his hand. He surveyed outside and rolled his eyes when he realised they were in a castle. 

_Great._

He was thankful, however, that he didn't recognise his present residence as one of his holiday homes. Judging by the make of this citadel, they were still somewhere within Europe. There was a door to his left, opposite the wall he exited from.

Curiosity killed the cat. It was tempting to just leave and make his way without the others. He'd let Harry and his little friends recklessly break through the door to find out what surprises were held for them on the other side. Draco was, after all, a Slytherin through and through.

"_Diffindo!" _He shouted, hoping to make a big enough crack in the solid and very thick stone walls. Alarmed that there might be watch guards on the other side of the door and that he only managed a crack in the wall, Draco tried again.

* * *

Harry spun around. 

"What was that?" Hermione was on watch and stepped closer to examine the crack in the wall. Judging by the position and whereabouts of this crack, the same place Wormtail entered and Malfoy departed, Hermione allowed herself to hope.

"He's trying to crack the wall." Ginny managed weakly.

"_Diffindo!" _Harry tried, whipping out his wand and taking his cue.

"_Diffindo!" _Hermione and Ginny then followed in suit.

The stone wall cracked wide enough that Harry somehow stepped forward and squeezed himself through. On the other side, Draco smirked and his eyes shone with triumph and Hermione thought she caught a hint of relief shining in his eyes before Draco got the time to mask it.

"Don't forget the Polyjuices." Draco said, grimacing to Ginny when she was the last one to crawl through the slash in the wall.

After returning from packing away what she thought they might need, she saw Harry, Hermione and Malfoy crowding around each other, the sun enveloping them and she could see how glad they were to be reunited. Feeling a slight pang that the moment was spoilt when she rejoined them; when she rejoined them and reality sank in.

Malfoy had a serious look on his face, and he tilted his head towards the door. It was obvious no one could possibly be behind it, with all the commotion that went on unnoticed, but the four Hogwarts student took care anyway as they approached the door.

* * *

God that took a long time! ...like half a year... BUT, not unsurprisingly so, all you faithful reviewers pulled me back on track! Yes, yes, yes: I know it was a scarily short chapter! I felt the need to post whatever I've written before even deserts me once and for all! YAYAYAYAYAY! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! Lol, you know what to do now…. (REVIEW, GODDAMIT, **REVIEW!**) 


End file.
